Minnesota
New data shows teacher shortages in key subject areas across Minnesota
St. Paul Public Schools Bridge View School is the foundation for Pat Suyak’s career pivot.
The new teacher is helping fill a special education gap experienced statewide.
“To be able to give a voice to these kids, who don’t always have a voice, is just an incredible opportunity in my eyes,” said Suyak.
He explained he spent 15 years as a lawyer, primarily in a corporate setting, before experiencing burnout. Suyak left that profession and eventually joined Bridge View as a teaching assistant substitute. He became a summer school teacher this year and is now in his first year leading a special education high school classroom.
“It’s about taking care of people and taking care of these kids, and the motivation comes easy with that,” he said, getting choked up. “It’s wonderful.”
Special education is one of the areas with a teacher shortage statewide, according to data 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained from the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.
It also shows, as of June, there were shortages of teachers in 44 license areas in the Twin Cities, which is higher than any other region.
The region that includes Chisago County, Isanti County, Kanabec County, Mille Lacs County and Pine County had the second-highest number, with 35 license shortage areas. In western Minnesota, the area of Big Stone County, Chippewa County, Lac qui Parle County, Swift County and Yellow Medicine County had the lowest number with 19 license shortage areas.
“The pools of teacher candidates are often low and in some cases, nonexistent,” said Deb Henton is the executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. “There just aren’t as many people interested in the positions in the classroom.”
The data shows shortages in key areas, including math, sciences, world languages and physical education in every region of the state.
“There are districts that have had to go to retired teachers, there are districts that have had to go to a contracted service,” said Henton. “In some of our areas of special education, there are simply not enough individuals going into the profession.”
Housing prices and affordability of child care are two factors that can be barriers to some young teachers pursuing the profession, according to Henton. She explained districts are working to attract teachers through hiring incentives and bonuses and expanding apprenticeships.
“We’re doing everything we can to attract quality teachers into the profession,” said Henton.
Joshua Taylor spent a year and a half as a special education teaching assistant at Bridge View School before stepping into a teacher role this year.
“I know that there’s a lot of need in that area,” said Taylor about his decision to focus on special education. “You just offer kids whatever you can at the end of the day.”
Taylor previously taught English abroad and has experience as a PCA. He decided to become a special education elementary teacher this year at the encouragement of other educators at the school.
The role has already proved rewarding just two weeks into the school year.
“Some kids require different supports, some kids require more of a need, everybody is just a kid,” said Taylor. “Some of the kids I’m seeing little growth, that is the best thing.”
Julius Randle scored 30 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Charlotte Hornets 122-105 on Saturday night, their first victory since All-Star Anthony Edwards was sidelined with an injury.
Without Edwards, who has a right hamstring strain, Minnesota had lost home games to Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid added 18 points each, Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels added 14 points for Minnesota.
Miles Bridges had 30 points and LaMelo Ball had 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists to lead Charlotte, which has lost its last three games.
Charlotte led 56-50 at halftime before Minnesota dominated the third quarter 36-18 to take and 86-74 lead into the final quarter. The Timberwolves’ strong play extended into the fourth quarter as they eventually built a 20-point lead.
Minnesota made 17 of 36 3-pointers (47.2%) , getting conversions from DiVincenzo (5 of 12), Randle (3 of 6), Rei (3 of 5), McDaniels (2 of 2), Johnny Juzang (1 of 1) and Bones Hyland (1 of 3).
The Hornets were 13 of 45 (28.9%)from 3-point range.
This was the first game since the Hornets announced they had exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Brandon Miller and third-year team option on forward Tidjane Salaun.
Miller, the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has appeared in 103 career games, but missed 65 games last year after needing right wrist surgery and missed his fourth straight game Saturday with a left shoulder injury.
Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham was playing in his second career game near his hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, 60 miles northwest of Charlotte. He had four points and three assists in 15 minutes.
Timberwolves: Play at Brooklyn on Monday night.
Hornets: Host Utah on Sunday night.
Minnesota
Food benefits frozen for 20,000-plus families, primarily children, in Minnesota amid shutdown
The federal government shutdown has frozen money for another food assistance program in Minnesota, and the majority of people impacted are children.
Federal money for November food benefits under the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) has been halted as the shutdown continues.
Unlike the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), whose federal funding has also been frozen, MFIP was specifically designed for young families and pregnant women. It’s also temporary, and there’s more than grocery money bundled into it. There’s also a cash benefit to help families cover diapers, medications, school supplies, and more.
However, at least half of that money is designated for groceries, and that part of MFIP is frozen.
Tabitha Pannell is a single mother of two girls. While pregnant, Pannell said she found out her eldest child, now 3 years old, had congenital heart defects and required surgery starting at birth. That’s when she applied and was approved for MFIP.
“I knew that would be challenging, and at the time, I didn’t have a good enough job to sustain providing,” Pannell said.
“And with medical complexities, that’s kind of a scary road as a new parent alone.”
Now, the $650 a month the family of three counts on for groceries won’t be coming in.
“I know I’m not going to be able to make up that particular amount,” she said.
“If these parents, like myself, we don’t have a fallback plan, that gets really tricky.”
More than 23,000 Minnesota families use MFIP each month on average, according to information provided by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
“Families are incredibly worried and concerned about how they will put food on the table. They’re worried about the long-term impacts that it might have on their children’s health,” DCYF Commissioner Tikki Brown said.
About $20 million in federal funds goes to these families, mostly young kids, every month, Brown said, adding that a large chunk of that, the grocery money, isn’t coming for November.
Earlier this week, the state committed an additional $4 million to food banks in anticipation of MFIP and SNAP benefits running out.
“A lot of food pantries and food shelves, they’re an option, but they’re going to be overwhelmed,” Pannell said.
$4 million seems like a drop in the bucket, even when it comes to MFIP, which is a much smaller program than SNAP, and Brown agreed.
“Correct,” Brown said. “Right, if this goes into December, I’m incredibly concerned about what Minnesotans will be facing.”
“That’s kind of what I’m bracing myself for,” Pannell said, asked about her family’s situation if the shutdown continues beyond November.
“You know, politics aside, there’s kids that are not being fed, and if that doesn’t infuriate anyone, than that speaks to a larger issue.”
State officials are looking, but have not come up with any additional places to pull money from, Brown said.
“It’s been incredibly discouraging to know that, despite our very best efforts, unless Congress acts, our hands are truly tied,” she said.
Minnesota
Christian Fitzgerald nets second hat trick of season, Wisconsin hockey beats Minnesota in Big Ten opener
MADISON – It took 734 days and seven meetings, but the Wisconsin men’s hockey team finally got the best of its border rival.
The Badgers snapped a six-game winless streak against the Gophers on Thursday Oct. 30 with a 5-2 victory at the Kohl Center in the Big Ten opener.
Wisconsin, which is ranked No. 14, in the USCHO poll, extended its unbeaten streak to open the season to seven games. With a 5-0-2 record the Badgers are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season when they started 7-0.
Senior forward Christian Fitzgerald recorded his second hat trick of the season, while seniors Ben Dexheimer and Kyle Kukkonen made two assists. Nine plays in all scored a point for the Badgers.
No. 18 Minnesota, which dropped its third straight game, fell to 2-6-1.
Five of the seven goals in the game were scored in the second period.
Sophomore Logan Hensler scored what proved to be the game-winner at the 11:56 mark of that period off a pass from Kukkonen to give UW a 3-2 edge.
Fitzgerald’s performance allowed him to surpass last season’s goal total. It was also his second multi-goal game of the season. He had a hat trick in the second game at Lindenwood.
He gave UW a 1-0 lead at the 5:26 mark of the second period and pushed the Badgers’ lead to 4-2 at the 2:19 of the third period. He completed the hat trick with an empty net goal with 75 seconds left.
Check jsonline later for more on the game.
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