Back To School For Minnesota Students

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Class is back in session in just about every district across Minnesota Tuesday.

Statewide, there are more than 860,000 children going back to school this fall. While some school districts started early, like Minneapolis, most go back the day after Labor Day, including St. Paul, Alexandria, Duluth, Rochester, Owatonna, and Anoka-Hennepin, the state's largest district.

Students who go to Minneapolis Public Schools went back to school last week.

They've been starting before Labor Day since 2013 in hopes that it would improve student achievement. But -- after four years -- the district says they can't make a direct correlation between the two. So later this year, the district will discuss moving the start date back to post-Labor Day.

The Minnesota Legislature passed new funding last Spring that allows more than 6,000 4-year-olds to go to free school-based pre-kindergarten programs this year. Also, Early Learning Scholarships will help more than 16,000 young learners go to preschool this fall.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue is reminding parents to save those receipts from all the school supplies you bought this year. They could help you save money when you fill out your income taxes next year.