In the second annual Education Freedom Report Card published by The Heritage Foundation, Minnesota found itself at 45th place in the overall rankings.
“The state declined in every category, most notably a seven-spot drop in education choice,” the report card states.
The report, which assesses states on criteria such as education choice, teacher freedom, transparency, and return on investment, highlights a decline for Minnesota in every category.
“Minnesota spends the 18th-most per pupil among states, spending $16,401 in cost-of-living-adjusted terms annually,” the report says.
For the second consecutive year, Florida secured the top spot overall, while Minnesota has slipped seven places in education choice, contributing to its overall ranking.
The state now ranks 45th for education choice. “Minnesota does fairly well in allowing families to choose among charter schools and district schools, but could do much more to expand education choice,” the report says, suggesting policies such as education savings accounts and reducing regulation on homeschool families.
The Heritage Foundation notes that Minnesota’s teacher freedom ranking has also hit the 45th spot.
“Although the Land of 10,000 Lakes does not use Common Core–aligned tests, just 6 percent of teachers in Minnesota found their way to the classroom through alternative certification routes, and the state does not allow full reciprocity of teacher licensure. Moreover, an estimated 86 percent of school districts in the state enrolling more than 15,000 students employ a ‘chief diversity officer,'” the report explains.
Additionally, state lawmakers eliminated certain alternative pathways to a teaching license during the most recent legislative session.
In terms of return on investment for education spending, Minnesota holds the 38th position. Despite ranking 18th in per-pupil spending among states, student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has reached a 30-year low, according to the Center of the American Experiment.
“Minnesota ranks 17th in its combined fourth-grade and eighth-grade math and reading average NAEP score. The Land of 10,000 Lakes employs 0.84 teachers for every non-teacher in its public schools,” the report says, suggesting a reduction in the “growth of non-teaching administrative staff, such as chief diversity officers.”
Limiting growth in per-pupil spending and improving academic outcomes on the NAEP can also enhance the state’s return on investment, the report says.
Minnesota ranks 29th in transparency, with state law including a general provision that allows parents to review curriculum and opt out of certain instruction.
The report explains that the absence of a parent bill of rights remains a gap in ensuring comprehensive transparency in the state’s education system.
“Decades of mediocre results and skyrocketing spending in American education motivated parents, taxpayers, and policymakers to overhaul outdated bureaucratic systems with school choice options that fulfill our duty to give our nation’s children the highest quality education possible,” Heritage Foundation president Dr. Kevin Roberts said in a statement.
“For too long, the radical Left, teachers’ unions, and their allies in school districts opposed education choice because it undermines their grip on power, money, and indoctrination. The sweeping success of education freedom across America is a long overdue response to parents’ just demand for schools aligned with their values.”
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
