A major purpose of this ongoing project was to develop a shared understanding and language among divisions of the Minnesota Department of Education regarding the Multi Tiered System of Support Framework (MTSS) (e.g., School Climate; Teaching and Learning; Special Education; Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) to more efficiently and consistently…

In 2020, students categorized as Black, Hispanic, Asian, and two or more races comprised over 50% of community college enrollment nationwide. However, current internationalization models in community colleges are rarely intentionally designed for and with students of the global majority. This study addresses a gap in the research by exploring the…

The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) represent the work of the ELA Standards Review Committee, who, during the 2019-2020 school year, reviewed the 2010 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts, other states' recently revised standards, current academic research, K-12 instructional best practices…

Multidisciplinary teams of school- and community-employed mental health, health, and educational staff work together in schools to offer a full continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment services and supports. Intentional teaming structures and practices are essential to ensure teams deliver effective,…

The Research Sprints program offers faculty partners the opportunity to collaborate intensively and exclusively for one week with a team of librarians to achieve significant progress on research or teaching projects. This longitudinal study extends previous immediate and short-term assessments by interviewing Research Sprints participants at two…

The Study Abroad Health and Safety Report informs students and parents about significant health and safety incidents while studying abroad. Incidents, as reported on the Study Abroad Health and Safety Survey, are defined as deaths and hospitalizations that occurred during participation in a study abroad program. Minnesota legislation (Minn. Stat.…

Simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) entails significant changes to the FAFSA and the methodology for determining eligibility for federal financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year. The changes to the FAFSA form that were mandated by the Simplification Act delayed implementation and shifted the timeline for…

Nearly a quarter of all undergraduate students in the U.S. are parents. All parents, especially younger parents and those returning to school after years in the workforce, face a system that was not designed to accommodate their needs as caretakers. The needs of student parents have become even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has…

Institutional missions of colleges and universities are increasingly focused on community partnerships: embracing a commitment to conducting research with, rather than simply about, communities. As researchers who have partnered with communities know well, these relationships depend upon both material and informational resources that are not…

While there has been a recent focus on developing programs to support educational research by community college anatomy and physiology instructors, there is not yet an established long-term community of practice (CoPs) in this particular area. Studies of long-term CoPs, particularly in STEM education, are few and far between. This study examines…

During a global pandemic, many students in 2020-2021 turned to peer-facilitated academic support through supplemental instruction (SI) to succeed. In this study, proficient students were hired as SI Leaders and trained to facilitate study sessions in a collaborative virtual learning environment. The impact of online SI support is assessed upon…

This article presents a reflection on a seven-year general education reform process. The authors divide and explain the process of reform in four stages: Review and Recommendation for Reform; Building Conceptual Foundations; Moving from Theory to Practice; and Implementation. The authors discuss the value of establishing goals and markers of…

The Office of Higher Education is required by the Minnesota Legislature to publish the Study Abroad Health and Safety Annual Report, which serves to inform students and parents about significant health and safety incidents occurring during study abroad. This report provides data for Minnesota colleges and universities for the years 2015-2021. This…

This chapter describes a strong partnership with a long history between Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) and Winona State University (WSU), and focuses on the advising process utilized by a shared advisor employed by both institutions that has resulted in an improved transfer experience for students.

For decades, numerous observers have agreed on the value of collaboration between K-12 and higher education--especially as these sectors work toward increasing college readiness and success. While most states maintain separate agencies for K-12 and higher education, many states have worked to foster collaboration through state P-20 councils.…