Federal officials think the lack of sidewalks and safe crosswalks are discouraging school children from walking to school. The Pioneer Press reports even after hundreds of millions of dollars in federal spending, the percentage of kids walking to school remains in the low double digits. In one Woodbury school, not one of the more than 800 students walks.

25 school districts gained state permission for a three-year experiment in starting classes two weeks before Labor Day. The hope is that the extra instruction will improve students' performance. But results from the first year show test scores stayed about the same.

WCCO reports Maplewood Middle School now has 30 students on 'bully patrol.' Under the program, bullying is addressed not only by teachers but students. Three other schools in the district are also using the anti-bullying program.