Minnesota is seeing another decline in education, dropping 11 spots on a national ranking since 2019.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation — a nonprofit organization that specializes in researching and promoting educational, economic, and health outcomes for children since 1948 — shed light on the problem with the release of its 2026 Kids Count Data Book on Monday.
In one year, Minnesota’s education ranking dropped four spots, falling from 17th to 21st in the nation. More than half of the state’s student population is not meeting education standards. In 2024, 69% of fourth graders were not proficient in reading, while 66% of eighth graders were not proficient in math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
And despite a 0.7 percentage-point increase in high school graduation rates, high school students are also reaching historic levels of underperformance in reading and math standards. Just 51% of Minnesota 10th graders are meeting reading standards and only 35% of 11th graders are meeting math standards.
ACT scores also highlight the educational deficit, as only 39% of students met three of the four benchmarks for college readiness and 36% met none of the benchmarks at all in 2025, Center of the American Experiment policy fellow Catrin Wigfall pointed out in a recent analysis. She noted that without a state-mandated GPA minimum requirement or a high school exit exam to graduate, Minnesota students are progressively struggling with academic fluency and readiness.
This trend has persisted under Gov. Tim Walz, whose administration emphasized increased spending and government programs rather than improving educational outcomes for children across the state, his critics contend. Since his election and two consecutive terms in office, education proficiency rates have dropped 10 percentage points.
According to Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Alex Plechash, things aren’t looking up for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar either, as he believes her policies may closely mirror those of Walz.
“Amy Klobuchar cannot hide behind the United States Senate anymore. If she wants to lead Minnesota, she needs to tell parents what her plan is. Will she break from Tim Walz and empower parents, especially families trapped in failing schools?” he said. “Or will this be like every other Klobuchar policy — just more of the same Tim Walz agenda?”
In a press release, House Speaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth promised to reverse the decline in education by reorienting Minnesota schools to focus on improving core academic subjects such as reading, math, and science.
“When I’m governor, Minnesota will join the bipartisan coalition of states who have opted into the scholarship granting organization federal tax credit that Gov. Walz has blocked,” Demuth said. “Tim Walz refuses to opt Minnesota into the scholarship program created by that law that would not cost Minnesota families a single dollar.”
By opting into the scholarship program, students attending low-performing schools could gain access to alternative educational opportunities, such as through private schools, tutoring, and homeschool funding. Opponents like Demuth argue that if Klobuchar were elected and opposed participation in the program, as she did when voting against the legislation in the Senate, Minnesota’s students could continue to struggle with declining educational proficiency.
“Sen. Klobuchar voted against the scholarship program that would help Minnesota’s struggling students. It passed in Congress despite her attempts to stop it,” Demuth said. “Tim Walz refuses to opt Minnesota into the scholarship program created by that law that would not cost Minnesota families a single dollar. This is yet another example of how Klobuchar would be a Walz Third Term.”
Rachael Van Rossum
Rachael Van Rossum is a journalist and author who studies political science in the Twin Cities. She previously interned with the Illinois House of Representatives and recently published her debut fantasy novel "The Hellburner of Sovi." Rachael is passionate about telling compelling stories and bringing to life the voices of political figures, athletes, and members of her community through engaging writing. She is the Alpha News journalism fellow for the summer of 2026.
