This collection provides families and caregivers with age-specific information and simple activities in five core reading skills—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension—and represents Minnesota’s continued commitment to expand literacy support.

Today, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced Families READ, a new toolkit designed by educators to help families support their children’s reading skills at home.

Creating something together as a family can be fun in the summer – and it is also an opportunity for learning! Don’t worry about the final product—enjoy the process of exploring, taking risks, and playing with art materials, songs, dancing, and more. #SummerLearningMN #Art

In one Farm to School collaboration, student ate beef, cucumbers, greens and tomatoes from Brakstad Family Farm in Pequot Lakes in their school meals and then visited the farm on a field trip.

Nutrition staff at Crosslake Community Charter School used a Farm to School grant to purchase local products to serve in school meals. Find more stories about schools creating healthy environments 👉 #HealthySchools #MinnesotaHealthySchools #Wellness

This annual event brings school administrators from across our state together before students return to classrooms for a day of preparation and connection.

Commissioner Willie Jett and Minnesota Department of Education staff spent the day with Minnesota Association of School Administrators at the Back to School Conference.

Registration is open for 2025-26 Collaborative Minnesota Partnerships to Advance Student Success (COMPASS) professional learning opportunities. Explore the offerings and find registration links by downloading our PDF Professional Learning Catalog at

Buddy up with someone younger than you and read them a story, then draw pictures together about what you read. #SummerLearningMN #EnglishLanguageArts

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) allows students in grades 10-12 to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college courses at participating colleges. Learn more at

Explore something new like canoeing, paddle boarding, disc golf, or pickleball. ☀️🧠🏃🏾 #SummerLearningMN #PhysicalEducation

The Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library and State Services for the Blind are offering an information session on the new DA2 talking book player August 28 at the Minnesota Department of Education office in Minneapolis. Learn more and register at

Assistant Commissioner Angela Mansfield is a graduate of @MPS_News' Washburn High School and helped celebrate their 100th anniversary this week. You can get in on the celebration too this weekend with tours, reunions, performances and more.

Find more stories about schools creating healthy environments 👉

After implementing a schoolwide cellphone policy in the 2022-23 school year, South St. Paul Middle School saw an increase in student test scores and a decrease in tardiness, suspensions, fights and assaults. Shout out to @SSPPS6 for focusing on digital wellbeing. #HealthySchools

Nature has been inspiration for countless artists – including kids! ☀️🧠🎵Go for a walk and collect leaves, rocks, or flowers to draw or paint at home. Kids can also try nature rubbings or make eco-friendly sculptures. #SummerLearningMN #Art

📚 Reading comes in many forms. 📚 At the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library, we’ve got braille books, large print books and audio books—all designed for Minnesotans with print disabilities to enjoy. 🎧 📖 Learn more:

Around 300 educators from across the Midwest engaged in restorative practices and principles in June, led by community-based restorative practices trainers. Participants in the metro area were welcomed by Commissioner Willie Jett.

Share stories every day. Tell family, folk, religious, or cultural stories. Ask your child to describe their day or tell a story they know or create themselves. Practice rhyming together. Take turns creating an oral story together, one sentence at a time. #SummerLearningMN

Take photos or make drawings of interesting rocks that you find and use books, online resources, or apps to identify different types of rocks and how they are made. #SummerLearningMN #Science