Elizabeth Shockman

“It’s kind of a shocking number."

The median age of first-time home buyers in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 40 in 2025, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. nyti.ms/4hKc58V

Minnesotans backed more than half of school finance requests More than 60 percent of the school districts asking voters to approve funding questions got support on election night. Districts requesting help with day-to-day operating costs and smaller capital pro...

"More than half of Minnesota school districts that asked voters to approve operating levies and bond questions to pay for K-12 education costs got the support they were looking for this election cycle." www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...

Election spending spikes for school board races in Anoka-Hennepin district Six candidates are vying for control of three seats on the six-member Anoka-Hennepin School District board. Campaign money is flooding in from unions and national political groups in what are supposed...

Six candidates are facing off over three seats this fall on the Anoka-Hennepin school board, and the money flooding into the races to oversee the state’s largest school district has far outpaced normal spending for a down-ballot election. (By @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social)

Judge orders Trump administration to restore school mental health grants A judge ordered the Trump administration to restore mental health grants after 16 states sued over the cuts.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore funds meant to bolster school-based mental health care created in response to the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

No Education Department? No Problem, Trump’s Education Secretary Says. The shutdown means there is, essentially, no Education Department. The latest round of layoffs would leave few workers to enforce special education and civil rights laws.

The government shutdown means there is, essentially, no Education Dept. The Trump administration has laid off hundreds of the employees, leaving few workers to enforce special education and civil rights laws — two of the agency's core functions. Here's what has been cut and what might be restored.

Teacher showed ‘predatory grooming behaviors’ with Eagan High girls, police detective concluded Minnesota has layers of state laws and procedures designed to prevent inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. The case of one former Eagan educator raises questions about how well t...

According to the investigative report, Eagan band teacher Brett Benson had a “pattern of predatory grooming behaviors … with numerous students” going back a decade in two school districts.

Amid impasse in contract talks, Minneapolis teachers may hold strike vote Minneapolis teachers say they plan to vote this week on whether to authorize a strike, if they don’t reach an agreement with the district on a new contract.

The Minneapolis Federation of Educators said in a statement that negotiations have been “stagnant,” after several months of talks. The union has a mediation session scheduled for Tuesday, and says it’ll hold a strike vote if they can’t reach an agreement with the district in that session.

Report: 6 Ways States Can Improve Special Education, English Learner Workforce From mentorship to preparation and pay, new analysis highlights policy areas states should consider for addressing shortages of these teachers.

This @the74.bsky.social @laurenwreports.bsky.social recap of an @nctq.bsky.social report highlights something you hear All. The. Time. from burned out special educators: Principals often know very little about special ed and, instead of fostering inclusion, regard it as place to send certain kids.

More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days. The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...

The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And nearly 20 children, two of whom have cancer. @nicolefoy.bsky.social

SW view from Greenstone Ridge in (1,133 ft above sea level) Isle Royale National Park. // Image captured at: 2025-10-16 11:41:57 UTC (about 7 min. prior to this post) // Current Temp in Isle Royale NP: 43.68 F | 6.49 C // Precip: clear sky // Wind: SSE at 2.483 mph | 3.99 kph // Humidity: 72%

Current* conditions near Isle Royale NP, MI:

Some social emotional lessons improve how kids do at school, Yale study finds Reading and math gains from soft skill instruction

But this study shows that there can be academic spillover benefits from high-quality and well-implemented SEL lessons. A list of them is linked to in my story. (5/5) hechingerreport.org/proof-points...

Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Data from a large, ongoing study of adolescents shows a link between increasing social media use and lower cognition and memory in teens.

"Preteens using increasing amounts of social media perform poorer in reading, vocabulary and memory tests in early adolescence compared with those who use no or little social media." www.npr.org/sections/sho...

The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

Five Ways the Department of Education Is Upending Public Schools The Trump administration has made a rapid succession of hires and decisions at the Department of Education that could spur profound changes in how schools operate and children learn. Here’s what to kn...

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

St. Paul has had only 9 homicides in 2025. Insane.

Some school board members urge Minnesota to comply with Trump transgender order More than 40 school board members from districts across the state are calling on Minnesota to comply with a recent federal finding that the state’s policy letting transgender student athletes compete ...

For more than a decade, Minnesota has allowed transgender student athletes to compete on teams consistent with their gender identity with little controversy. But following pressure from federal officials, some school board members are calling for the state to end that policy.

Authorities increase count of injured in Annunciation shooting Minneapolis police say 30 people total were injured in the Annunciation shooting — revised from their previous count of 23 victims.

Minneapolis police have revised the total count of victims in the August shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church to 30. Authorities had previously reported 23 victims. Police said Wednesday they’ve increased their count, as more people have reported injuries.

Man enrolled as White Bear Lake student investigated for ‘possible sexual assault’ Charges have not yet been filed against the 22-year-old man who enrolled at White Bear Lake Area High School as police say they’re investigating the complicated case.

According to police, their investigation began after a White Bear Lake resident reported on Sept. 29 that her daughter saw a mugshot circulating on social media. She recognized the 22-year-old man as a fellow student at White Bear Lake Area High School, albeit with a different name.

Journalists at 3 Newspapers Quit Over Edits to a Charlie Kirk Story

*A Republican lawmaker objected to reference to Charlie Kirk holding “often racist and controversial views” in local Alaska news
*The corporate owner took down the story and edited it
*The journalists resigned

This feels like more and more of our media now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/u...

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated' The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

"Armed federal agents in military fatigues busted down their doors overnight, pulling men, women and children from their apartments, some of them naked, residents and witnesses said....U.S. citizens were among those detained for hours." chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Rochester schoolyard remade to reduce impacts of climate change Franklin Elementary is one of five Minnesota schools getting an eco-friendly schoolyard makeover to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

At recess time at Franklin Elementary School in Rochester, students scamper around a new playground area. Franklin is one of five Minnesota schools getting an eco-friendly schoolyard makeover to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Colleges weigh whether to sign onto Trump plan or forgo federal benefits A new proposal from the Trump administration would give colleges funding advantages if they adopt conservative priorities.

“No self-respecting university could ever accept something like this,” said Lee Bollinger, a First Amendment scholar and former Columbia University president. “Trying to protect conservative ideas against being ‘belittled’ — that’s about as violative of the First Amendment interests as you can get.”

Judge hands sentences of 15 months to 5 years in catalytic converter theft scheme Four Minnesota men who operated a high-volume catalytic converter theft ring have been sentenced, ranging from 15 months to five years.

A judge has handed sentences ranging from 15 months to five years to four Minnesota men who operated a high-volume catalytic converter theft ring. According to court documents, the men rented U-Haul trailers and took the pollution control devices to scrap to multiple states.

What happens to the kids? Fearing deportation, immigrant parents make contingency plans. More than 4 million U.S. families have mixed immigration status. As the Trump administration continues to ramp up deportations, many of these families are preparing emergency plans.

More than 4 million U.S. families have mixed immigration status. As the Trump administration continues to ramp up deportations, many of these families are preparing emergency plans.

Detained journalist Mario Guevara's attempt to block deportation order denied by Court of Appeals A federal court has denied journalist Mario Guevara's last-minute appeal to stop his deportation to El Salvador.

The regime is deporting an Atlanta journalist and being pretty open about the fact that it‘s in direct retaliation for his coverage:

“An immigration judge granted Guevara a $7,500 bond in July, but the government filed a stay, claiming that his reporting on law enforcement activity was dangerous”

Jane Goodall, the conservationist renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy, has died. She was 91.

Watch an interview that Sven Sundgaard (@svensundgaard.bsky.social) conducted in 2018 with Goodall on our website here:

Adult reportedly faked identity to enroll at White Bear Lake Area High School Officials with the White Bear Lake school district say police are investigating after a person over the age of 21 reportedly used fake documents and a false identity to enroll as a high school student...

Officials with the White Bear Lake school district say police are investigating after a person over the age of 21 reportedly used fake documents and a false identity to enroll as a high school student.

Harvard says Trump officials made factual errors in antisemitism finding The university rejected the Trump administration’s finding that it violated civil rights law. President Trump said his administration and Harvard were close to a deal.

Harvard University rejected the Trump administration’s finding that it violated federal civil rights law, objecting to numerous inaccuracies and failings in the investigation, according to a document sent to the government and obtained by The Post.

Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political Ads A new analysis of political advertisers found that the platform profits from ads that include deepfakes and other content prohibited by its own policies.

A new analysis of political advertisers found that Facebook profits from ads that include deepfakes and other content prohibited by its own policies. It also found the company has turned a blind eye to a flood of this deceptive content.

Feds say Minnesota’s trans athlete policy violates civil rights law The Trump administration on Tuesday said it concluded that a Minnesota policy letting transgender student athletes compete on teams consistent with their gender identity is a civil rights violation. T...

“The word that best describes this is ‘extraordinary… This [is a] total departure from how civil rights has been enforced in this country for many, many, many years." www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...