Democratic and Republican authors have proposed allowing Education Cooperatives (Co-ops) in Minnesota access the same teacher development and evaluation revenue available to school districts and charter schools. In an attempt to further equalize our schools, a bipartisan coalition has argued that all teachers in every public school should be held to the same high standards, and should have access to the same development and evaluation resources.
S.F. 133 would give Education Cooperatives funding for teacher development and evaluation that every other public school has. Under current law, that number is $302 per teacher employed by the school the previous October.
Education Co-ops are centered on the idea that each student has different needs, and they often provide more flexibility for students than what is offered in a traditional school environment. Most also provide academic credit for work experience. Co-ops offer training experience to students, and depending on the program, can work very well for special education students, students who want to pursue a career in a specific trade, or students who excel in a non-traditional environment. Minnesota has 13 active education co-ops. (S.F. 133)
