Nelson: Half of students falling behind: a wake-up call for Minnesota

Senator Carla Nelson
2 min readAug 29, 2024

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The Minnesota Department of Education released the 2024 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) scores on Thursday, revealing that student performance has remained stagnant. Approximately half of the state’s students are meeting or exceeding grade-level standards in math and reading, a figure that has shown little improvement in recent years.

Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester), former chair of the Senate’s Education Committee and a former educator, issued the following statement in response to the findings:

“As a former teacher and advocate for our students, I am deeply concerned by the latest Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) results showing that only half of our students are meeting grade-level standards in math and reading. This should be a wake-up call for all of us. Education is the great equalizer. It’s the key that unlocks opportunities and paves the way for success for all. It’s the foundation of every child’s future. And it’s clear we need to do more.

“We cannot forget that parents are the first and most influential teachers, and are partners with our schools in the critical role they play preparing the next generation. The stagnation we see today is not just about numbers — it’s about our kids’ futures, their opportunities, and the success of our state. This is why I supported “Students First,” a more comprehensive, locally driven approach to education. “Students First” emphasized local control, prioritized classroom funding, supported special education, strengthened literacy, and enhanced school safety — all without burdening our schools with new mandates.

“This isn’t about partisan politics; it’s about putting our kids first. We must focus on what truly matters and what works, giving every child the chance to succeed and ensuring that education remains the pathway to opportunity for all Minnesotans. It’s time to refocus on our children, their futures, and the future of our state.”

MCA ASSESSMENT DATA

2023 STUDENTS FIRST PROPOSAL DETAILS

  • A 5% increase on the education formula each year, without new mandates
  • $1 billion to fund the special education cross-subsidy
  • $100 million for science of literacy programs
  • $200 million for “Safe Schools” initiatives
  • $100 million for property tax relief

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