U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon Visits Minnesota on National Tour

(KNSI) — U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Minnesota Wednesday as part of her Returning Education to the States Tour.

McMahon started at Great Oaks Academy, a public charter school for students in kindergarten through tenth grade. Students sang, recited the Pledge of Allegiance in Latin, and shared poems from a fifth-grade class. McMahon then met with teachers to hear how they run their classrooms and what their jobs are like.

She next visited Dakota County Technical College, where she looked at the veterinary technology, process technology, and electrical linework programs. Over lunch, she talked with members of the Minnesota Legislature about shifting more education decisions to the state and local levels.

McMahon finished the day at Rochester Community and Technical College with Republican U.S. Representatives Brad Finstad and Pete Stauber. They toured the dental simulation, peace officer simulation, and automotive labs.

“A truly responsive education system cannot be driven by federal mandates,” McMahon says. She added that success happens when local educators and state leaders have the freedom to build programs that fit the needs of their own communities.

Minnesota is the 44th stop for the secretary. McMahon is visiting every state to meet with students, teachers, administrators and community leaders about education models that are improving learning outcomes and meeting local needs.

The department says it plans to put together a toolkit of best practices to share with states.

___