Peggy Flanagan, a former Minneapolis School Board member, joined other Minnesota officials in demanding that ICE leave the state. In St. Paul, the district has asked impacted families to contact their child’s principal for help enrolling in its existing online school. Students in most Minnesota districts have yet to return to pre-pandemic academic achievement levels, according to an analysis in the Minnesota Reformer. “Districts really want to serve these students in person — that’s generally the most effective,” said Scott Croonquist, executive director of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts. Before COVID-19, online schools — then often of shoddy quality — had to earn state approval to operate, and temporary school closures were governed by rules addressing severe winter weather.

Source: New York Times January 13, 2026 23:33 UTC