Minnesota
State Government
Governor
Tim Walz (D)
State Senate
33
Democrats,
33
Republicans
State House
69
Democrats,
64
Republicans
Economic well-being - Minnesota
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
11.1
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.2
Poverty rate
9.3%
Unemployment rate
3.6
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.1
Huffington Post, February 19, 2012: (Op-Ed) Educating Two Generations
"Imagine if parents and children participated in programs that provided education and skills for both at the same time. It is happening in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Community Action Project's CareerAdvance program where parents whose children are enrolled in local Head Start programs have the opportunity to earn credentials in nursing and health technology..."
Star Tribune, December 23, 2011: (Op-Ed) Finally, good news for little learners
"A portion of a $28 million Promise Neighborhoods award won by the Northside Achievement Zone will go for preschool scholarships for poor families. And a $15 million Investing in Innovation grant was awarded to the University of Minnesota and its partner organizations to implement 33 Child-Parent Centers, a learning improvement strategy for low-income families developed in Chicago for pre-K through grade 3."
Star Tribune, September 30, 2011: 'No Child' options going unused
"Thousands of low-income students in underperforming schools statewide will soon receive letters saying they are eligible to transfer to different schools and receive private tutoring paid for by their school districts."
St. Cloud Times, September 22, 2011: Data: More young, Elderly in poverty
"New data released today from the U.S. Census Bureau show a surprising dip in the estimated number of St. Cloud residents living in poverty last year, but a sharp increase in poor children and seniors. The results of the 2010 American Community Survey show an estimated 23.8 percent of people in St. Cloud had an annual income in the past year below the poverty line."