Test scores for Minnesota students remained largely flat this year compared to last. The latest results of standardized exams taken by a half million schoolchildren in the state in the spring didn’t budge in math or science. Reading scores rose slightly. The scores also showed that the wide achievement gap between white and minority students continues, and is largely unchanged despite renewed efforts to close the gap.
The Mayo Clinic will be the first health center in the nation to offer patients a mail-in stool sample test that is an alternative to a colonoscopy. The new procedure, called the Cologuard test, got FDA approval earlier this month. It was co-invented by a Mayo gastroenterologist. The test will be available by prescription. The test&apos;s makers believe this alternative will be effective in identifying early colon cancer in patients who are squeamish about the more invasive procedure.
The Minnesota Vikings announced a partnership with the NFL Foundation on a hefty grant that will provide 13 public schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul a certified athletic trainer for their football programs. The NFL Foundation funded the project with $25,000, which the Vikings matched for a total of $50,000, that will provide care for ninth-grade, junior varsity and varsity football teams.