School districts across the state are welcoming thousands of students as they begin to fill their hallways and classrooms, but a new study says many of those students won’t have access to some important curriculums. Minnesota 2020 held a conference in Bemidji today to share the results of a new report that claims schools are valuing test scores over other important areas. In Bemidji, spending in early childhood education has increased over the years, while spending in enriching subjects like art and computer science were cut.

One of the reasons school districts have been forced to cut costs is due to the recession and hard financial times. Bemidji school officials say that just because they focus on test scores, doesn’t mean they’ve neglected other areas. Superintendent Jim Hess said, “We still have great programs in all the other areas in business, fine arts, and special education. We want to make sure that our students get every opportunity that we can present them.”

Minnesota 2020 recommends shifting funding to the state, where it can be more stable for communities throughout Minnesota and provide more money for other areas. To view the full report, visit www.MN2020.org.

By — Lakeland PBS

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