Minnesota law requires K-12 school libraries to be staffed by a licensed media specialist but survey results indicated almost half of districts have difficulty in this area.

This spring, Wilder Foundation researchers and a group working with regional library systems shared survey results from schools around Minnesota. Some 46% of respondents said they do not have a licensed professional managing their library media centers, citing budget constraints and a lack of qualified candidates.

Ashley Dress, school media centers consultant for the Southeast Library System, said well-resourced centers are linked to improved student achievement.

"They're often centers for collaboration, technology access and developing research skills," Dress explained. "There's also evidence that school libraries help to address educational inequities."

As the survey showed, many schools do not have a trained, full-time staffer to enhance such programming. In many cases, they are part-time, with teachers or other support staff filling in as needed. Minnesota's requirement surfaced in 2023 when the state approved increased aid to close gaps. This year, school library funding is swept up in spending cut talks at the Capitol.

Despite the approved aid, the feedback reveals some library officials were unaware of it. However, researchers said there is nothing to suggests funds are being misused.

Anna Granias, research scientist for the Wilder Foundation, said there are great examples of districts benefiting from the move. Still, she suggested current specialists are stretched thin.

"Many LMS's split their time across more than one school," Granias pointed out. "Of those who are working in more than one school, about half are working in two media centers, but nearly one in five are serving five or more media centers."

Nearly two-thirds of schools do not have library services with paid staff available to help students before or after school. While issues at the state level are sorted out, the analysis recommended school districts do all they can to hire full-time specialists for their libraries and give them enough support to do their job.


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Uncertainty about the current job market is influencing high school graduates' choices for a career.

Parents are generally the go-to for guidance, but a new poll suggests they have limited knowledge of post-high school educational options such as certification programs or apprenticeships.

The Indiana Department of Education reports that in 2024, Indiana achieved its highest-ever state high school graduation rate, at nearly 91%.

Jeff Bulanda, vice president of the American Student Assistance Center for Career Navigation at the nonprofit Jobs for the Future, said too often, family conversations about post-graduation plans occur too late.

"Young people actually really trust and rely on their parents' guidance," said Bulanda. "Ninety percent of young people said they rely on their parents' guidance when it comes to education and careers."

The Gallup Panel findings revealed more than half of families know "a great deal" about working at a paid job or earning a bachelor's degree. And just over half of all parents reported they "frequently" have those conversations with their high-school-age child, rising to 65% among parents with high school seniors.

Experts note without early and well-informed discussions, students are often forced to make life-shaping decisions on their own.

Working parents' schedules and not enough high school guidance counselors nationwide can add to students feeling unprepared.

Bulanda added that Jobs for the Future is working to build an online navigation tool to steer students to potential career pathways that align with their interests and inform graduates entering the workforce about the right questions to ask.

"Does this employer offer tuition assistance or some form of education benefit," said Bulanda, "where they may start in a front-line job but have the ability to earn money, as well as have their employer pay for their education?"

Bulanda stressed that today, fewer than three in 10 high schoolers say they feel very prepared to pursue postsecondary options.

He emphasized that the key is to take a step back and consider all potential funding sources at the state and local level, where short-term training program grants often help move students into in-demand careers.

The Indiana Department of Education reports almost 250,000 students enrolled in Indiana's colleges and universities for the Fall 2024 academic year.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

School funding is ranked as the top education priority in a spring survey of 850 Marion County voters by the education organization RISE Indy.

With 73% of Indianapolis' public school students in grades 3-8 reading below grade level, respondents indicated they want stronger schools and believe policymakers are the gatekeepers for improvement. RISE Indy specializes in closing the academic achievement gap for historically marginalized communities.

Jasmine Jackson, chief of staff for the group, said a child's access to a good school should not be determined by income, networking or their ability to get to a "certain" school.

"The political work allows us to support education champions and keep them honest and accountable," Jackson explained. "Our policy work allows us to work with elected officials to promote kids. And our programmatic work allows us to train them through literacy, through board governance."

U.S. News and World Report said almost 38% of students in Indianapolis public schools are Black, slightly more than 36% are Hispanic and 21% are white.

Among survey respondents, 33% ranked school transportation as a top priority. Parents want the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, a group created by the Indiana General Assembly to manage public education, to also address transportation challenges.

Jackson believes not just access but school choice should not sway the alliance's decisions.

"Voters desire one system that addresses transportation for all Indianapolis students, regardless of whether they're in IPs or public charter schools," Jackson emphasized. "We need a combined transportation system that is efficient, safe, students are not on the bus for over an hour one way to school."

According to the poll, 83% of respondents support a combined transportation system to streamline operations, reduce costs and improve service reliability. The Indianapolis Public Schools website indicates its school buses cover approximately 20,000 miles per school year.


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Panic has set in at school districts across the Golden State as the Trump administration continues to withhold federal funds.

Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of public instruction, said California school districts stand to immediately lose close to $1 billion.

Luis Valentino, retired superintendent of Coachella Valley Unified School District and host of the podcast "District Leader: Transforming Education," said unless it is resolved quickly, schools will be forced to cut back or even eliminate programs.

"Without timely allocation tables from the United States Department of Education, states will be left uncertain, making it challenging to prepare for the 2025-26 school year," Valentino explained. "School districts, especially those in high-poverty and rural areas, will be left scrambling."

Last week the Department of Education notified schools across the country five grant programs are now "under review" to determine if they align with administration priorities. In a statement to Real Clear Politics, the Office of Management and Budget said "initial findings have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda." The grants in question fund summer learning, teacher professional development and after-school programs. They also fund English language classes and support for children of migrants.

The grants are usually distributed on July 1. Valentino warned there will be far-reaching consequences if the congressionally-approved funding is not restored.

"Migrant children, English language learners and those in low-performing schools stand to lose vital support that helps them meet academic benchmarks," Valentino pointed out. "This decision will only exacerbate existing educational inequities across each state."

Programs already underway this summer are now in limbo. In a statement, the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs said without the promised funding, more than 900 sites nationwide serving 220,000 kids could be forced to shut their doors, taking almost 6,000 jobs with them.


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