By Liz Carey for The Daily Yonder.
Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration

For Montevideo Public School Superintendent Wade McKittrick, creating a medical academy in the Montevideo High School filled a need on two fronts for the rural Minnesota community - the students' and the community's.

Montevideo Medical Academy provides high-school students with medical training to give them a leg up when it comes to getting jobs. For rural hospitals and healthcare providers in the area, it provides a pipeline of talent from which to choose. And, McKittrick said, it provides an incentive to keep young people in the small town, which has just over 5,000 residents and is located in the western part of the state.

In its first year, the program had 25 students. Combined, those students earned 170 college credits, 55 certifications, and 304 hours of clinical experience. Now in its second year, the academy has maxed out at 32 students, with more on the waiting list to get in. Several of the students have decided to go further with their medical career and get a degree at Minnesota West Community College and return to the area to work.

The idea was spawned two years ago, McKittrick said. The healthcare industry in the area was having a hard time finding people to fill vacancies. "I got a phone call one day from an individual ... who just wanted to go, have coffee, and talk about this," McKittrick said. "They just started explaining the problem that they're seeing in their industry, and specifically around LPNs [licensed practical nurses] and CNAs [certified nursing assistants]."

"We left that day and I remember, as clear as a bell, thinking I don't know what the answer is, but I'm really interested in finding a solution," he recalled.

As he saw it, Montevideo's public schools needed a program that would train high school students to fill some of those positions, and do so without costing the district any money.

"When we set off, we knew that we wanted to have a lab within the school itself," he said. "We knew that that was going to be a cost, but we weren't exactly sure how much. And we knew that it meant at least six hospital beds were going to have to be purchased, as well as all of the medical training equipment around the CNA (certification), which meant a medication lab. And for CPR, we were going to have to have mannequins purchased."

On top of that, the school needed instructors, a curriculum, and internship partners, he said.

Reaching out to the community, the school district was able to get equipment, beds and other necessities donated by local businesses, Minnesota West Community College and CCM Health, the small hospital chain in Chippewa County. Along with about $25,000 grant in grant money, the school system was able to pull together the program without incurring any additional costs.

Now in its second year, the Montevideo Medical Academy gives its students the opportunity to earn 22 college credits as well as earn industry certifications to serve as CNAs, trained medication aides (TMA), pharmacy technicians, and to provide first aid/CPR. Students get job-shadowing opportunities at local healthcare employers, participate in hands-on instruction, tour healthcare facilities, and complete internships and externships in the area's healthcare facilities.

Kati Birhanzl, career coordinator for Montevideo Public Schools, said students are qualified to take jobs with local healthcare providers or have interacted with local employers enough that many are given a promise of jobs once they finish college.

Birhanzl said she and other counselors meet with every student who enters the program, not just to make sure they are a good fit for the program, but to make sure they understand the rigors of the program and the potential benefits.

"Every student that registered has to have a conversation with either myself or our social worker or school counselor about the rigor of the class," she said. "And they have conversations with the student that attendance can't be an issue in this class. We have really honest, open conversations with them and have just been very upfront with expectations."

McKittrick said that, from the start, the high-school program was an opportunity the school district wanted to ensure was open to everyone.

"When we were talking this through and looking at the workforce, we really wanted to make sure that we eliminated as many barriers as possible," McKittrick said. "We didn't want a grade point average to get in the way of kids being able to have these opportunities... We knew we were going to have to come behind them and support them in the classroom and in making themselves successful in this."

Teagan Epema, a Montevideo Medical Academy student, said the program has given her knowledge she intends to use in her career and experience in the nursing field.

"I wanted to do the medical academy because I was interested in going into nursing and wanted my CNA to get experience," she wrote in an email. "From the Medical Academy, I got my CNA, TMA, CPR, first aid, and I took medical terminology, which has helped me expand my knowledge. It definitely helped me get started."

And the program has been a success for the healthcare community as well, career coordinator Birhanzi said: "We hear from our hospital partner that their medical providers and nursing staff are happy when they have new employees that have had experience."

McKittrick said the program's success has led to success for the school as well. In recent months, McKittrick said he's been able to share the program with other healthcare providers and other schools around the country.

"When we created this, we did it with the mindset of this was not just to be Montevideo's program. We really wanted it to become a duplicated program that other schools and other communities that are going through the same things that our community is could use," he said.

"We're proud of the work that our folks have done around it and how our community has coalesced around it," McKittrick said "It's an opportunity to shape programs across the state in a way that can affect real health care in more than just Montevideo."


Liz Carey wrote this article for The Daily Yonder.


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Despite being four years into Ohio's six-year Fair School Funding Plan, it has yet to receive full funding.

Advocates of the plan are pushing for the final phase-in - and for updated cost estimates - in the new state budget cycle.

But some Republican lawmakers argue the General Assembly shouldn't be bound to such long-term and costly commitments.

As the current state budget ends in June, Susie Kaeser - an education specialist with the League of Women Voters of Ohio - said the Fair School Funding Plan is the only way to equitably fund Ohio schools.

"This is the moment we've been waiting for, for more than 50 years," said Kaeser, "to actually find a solution to fairly fund the public schools, which are the cornerstone institutions of every community - and for the League, for democracy."

Advocates argue that properly funding public schools benefits all Ohioans and ensures equal access to education in all 609 districts.

However, some policymakers and taxpayers worry about the financial strain, particularly with rising property values and state budget limitations.

Critics of Gov. Mike DeWine's latest budget proposal say it uses cost figures from 2022 for the school funding plan, which need to be updated.

Superintendent of the Ohio Valley Educational Service Center and member of the Fair School Funding Committee, Dalton Summers, highlighted the progress made in the past four years - and said it's important to complete the plan, and properly fund it.

"If we were to not fully fund the Fair School Plan," said Summers, "the vast majority of rural school districts are going to lose the amount of money that they were making."

While many support the Fair School Funding Plan, challenges remain, including concerns about long-term affordability and the potential impact of expanding school voucher programs.

Educators in Texas are concerned about the Trump administration's plans to dismantle the Department of Education.

One of the Department's primary roles is to administer federal funding for K-12 schools.

Zeph Capo, president of the American Federation of Teachers-Texas, said more than 18% of the state's education budget comes from federal funding and potential cuts would affect many programs.

"$1.3 billion for special education students, $132 million additional for life skills work that may go beyond traditional pre-K-12, $126 million for before- and after-school programs," Capo outlined.

The education department also administers Title I money for students in rural and lower income communities. Capo stressed those students will be more heavily affected by the cuts.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the new Secretary of the Department of Education. During her confirmation hearing, she said the public education system is in decline and vowed to reorient the department and invest in teachers. During a town hall meeting, Capo told teachers it is time to organize and take action.

"Contact your representative. You can find ways to do that on our website. You can make your way to the page where you can send an action letter," Capo explained. "The second thing is to submit an op-ed or a letter to the editor. Share your story with your elected officials, share your story with your community."

The president does not have the power to shutter the Education Department. It would take an act of Congress with 60 'yes' votes in the Senate.

Capitol Hill observers said the Trump administration is moving quickly against the federal Department of Education, potentially leaving Virginia schools with a $2.5 billion hole in their budgets.

The Senate confirmed former pro wrestling executive Linda McMahon as the department's secretary this week, a move expected to trigger plans to dismantle the agency. Recent polls show 63% of Americans oppose closing the department.

David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, said school districts are worried about the potential loss of funds.

"It would be devastating," Walrod explained. "Here in Virginia the federal government averages 9.8% of dollars that are spent on public education. If a district has a budget of $1 million, then the federal government is providing $98,000 of that. That's a pretty significant chunk."

According to USA Facts, Virginia public schools receive funding from the federal government, a total of $2.5 billion, or $2,038 per student. That's 19.6% below the national average of $2,233.

Walrod pointed out the loss of funds could affect the number of teachers schools can hire, put building improvements on hold and force administrators to decide which programs to keep. He fears the cuts would probably hurt the state's most vulnerable students.

"Most of that money is specifically geared toward students with disabilities," Walrod emphasized. "Students with disabilities can achieve. We know that they deserve the same opportunities that all of their classmates have. But in a lot of cases, those students can be more expensive to educate."

So far, the administration has made cuts to department staff, programs and research but only Congress can officially close the department. Walrod thinks elected officials should visit Virginia classrooms before making a decision.

"I would tell them to go walk through one of our public schools, to step into one of our special education classrooms, step into one of our inclusive classrooms, a generalized classroom that receives special education support," Walrod urged. "I would tell them to just look at the great work that is happening there."