U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s visit to Minnesota on Oct. 14 was the 44th stop on her “Returning Education to the States Tour.”
American Experiment education policy fellows Catrin Wigfall and Josiah Padley were honored to be part of Secretary McMahon’s day in Minnesota, which included tours of Great Oaks Academy (a classical public charter school), Dakota County Technical College, and Rochester Community and Technical College.
During the Dakota County Technical College tour, Secretary McMahon saw how students are being trained for in-demand careers in welding, electrical linework, and veterinary technology, which included the welcomed surprise of holding kangaroo joeys.
These are the kinds of careers behind Minnesota’s economy, and they are the focus of American Experiment’s Great Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree project, which has partnered with technical colleges and programs across the state. The effort builds recognition of and support for these paths.
Before a lunch and roundtable with members of the Minnesota State Legislature, Wigfall and Padley discussed a few of American Experiment’s top education priorities with Secretary McMahon, from expanding education freedom to greater accountability and transparency in the public school system.
As more authority moves back to the states, Minnesota’s choices will matter.
“Secretary McMahon’s visit puts a spotlight on Minnesota education and how important it is that the state delivers for students,” says Wigfall. “Transparent and accountable leadership is how we turn good intentions into measurable progress.”
“Minnesota has the capacity to build an excellence-minded education system that welcomes students of many disciplines, meeting the local needs of every community,” says Padley. “Secretary McMahon’s visit underscores the immediate need for strong Minnesota education leaders.”
We are grateful to Secretary McMahon for the visit and look forward to continuing the conversation in St. Paul.
Education policy fellows Catrin Wigfall and Josiah Padley enjoy the experience of holding kangaroo joeys at Dakota County Technical College. On the far right, Secretary Linda McMahon watches Dakota County Technical students work on power lines as she learns more about the college’s electrical lineworker program.