The Technology of Skill Formation

his paper presents formal models of child development that capture the essence of recent findings from the empirical literature on child development. The goal is to provide theoretical frameworks for interpreting the evidence from a vast empirical literature, for guiding the next generation of empirical studies and for formulating policy. We start from the premise that skill formation is a life-cycle process. It starts in the womb and goes on throughout most of the adult life. Families and firms have a role in this process that is at least as important as the role of schools. There are multiple skills and multiple abilities that are important for adult success. Abilities are both inherited and created, and the traditional debate of nature versus nurture is outdated and scientifically obsolete. The technology of skill formation has two additional important characteristics. The first one is that IQ and behavior are more plastic at early ages than at later ages. Furthermore, behavior is much more malleable than IQ as individuals age. The second is that human capital investments are complementary over time. Early investments increase the productivity of later investments. Early investments are not productive if they are not followed up by later investments. The returns to investing early in the life cycle are high. Remediation of inadequate early investments is difficult and very costlyhuman capital, life cycle of skill formation

Giving in Minnesota 2009 Edition Summary

This summary reports highlights of the Minnesota Council on Foundations' Giving in Minnesota, 2009 Edition research report, the most comprehensive analysis of charitable giving in the state. The 2009 edition features Minnesota giving in 2007, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. This report includes information about overall giving by foundations, corporations and individuals in Minnesota, along with detailed grantmaking trends by the Giving in Minnesota sample, which is comprised of 100 of the state's largest grantmakers based on grants paid

Giving in Minnesota, 2010 Edition

The Minnesota Council on Foundations has produced its Giving in Minnesota, 2010 Edition research report, the most comprehensive analysis of charitable giving in the state. The 2010 edition features Minnesota giving in 2008, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. This report includes information about overall giving by foundations, corporations and individuals in Minnesota, along with detailed grantmaking trends by the Giving in Minnesota sample, which is comprised of 100 of the state's largest grantmakers based on grants paid

Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) of Minnesota: An Annotated Checklist and New State Records

Pentatomidae have been relatively poorly documented in Minnesota. Based on literature and museum records, an annotated checklist of the Pentatomidae of Minnesota was created. State-level and county-level records for Minnesota and the distribution of each species in North America are provided. Fifty-one species of Pentatomidae (12 Asopinae, 37 Pentatominae, and 2 Podopinae) are recorded for Minnesota. Of this total, 15 species are newly recorded for the state. Knowledge of the fauna of Pentatomidae in Minnesota will be important for providing baseline data for monitoring of potential shifts in the fauna resulting from the invasions of exotic Pentatomidae. Furthermore, a list of native Pentatomidae will be necessary for monitoring non-target impacts, if classical biological control is implemented for management of exotic Pentatomidae

Minnesota Wild

In these remarks I am going to tell two stories and then add - to the growing list compiled so far in this Symposium - two new quasi-religious, metaphorical figures. In keeping with our overall theme of eco-pragmatism, my remarks will be experimental, contingent, even nonlinear. I hope you will indulge me

Pillars Of Prosperity: Leveraging Regional Assets To Grow Minnesota's Economy

Minnesota has always been rich with assets -- a skilled labor force, good jobs in diverse industries, globally competitive companies, and abundant lakes and parks that provide a high quality of life for the people who call it home.However, to maintain its strong economy and quality of life, Minnesota must adapt to fast-changing trends in the global economy, trends that affect each of the state's regions and communities differently.This report explores how the state of Minnesota -- the governor's administration together with the Minnesota Legislature -- can partner with regional networks to foster economic growth and extend prosperity to greater numbers of Minnesotans

Rochester, Minnesota

Highlights from Rochester, Minnesota

New Distribution Records for Minnesota Odonata

Several Minnesota state record Odonata, Aeshna subarctica, Ophiogomphus anomalus, Stylogomphus albistylus, Stylurus scudderi, and Coenagrion interrogatum are reported, along with notes on the distribution and habitat of Aeshna sitchensis. New county records for Minnesota Odonata are also reported

2011 Outlook Report

To assess the outlook for grantmaking in Minnesota in 2011, the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) conducted its 2011 Outlook Report survey in October and November of 2010. The survey asked grantmakers to predict how their 2011 giving will compare to 2010. A total of 118 organizations responded, representing about 65 percent of annual grantmaking in the state. Foundation giving is expected to stabilize in 2011 following two years in which grantmakers anticipated declines. According to MCF's 2011 Outlook Report survey, indicators also signal that Minnesota grantmakers are more optimistic about their giving in 2011 than they were at this time last year

2010 Outlook Report

To assess the outlook for grantmaking in Minnesota in 2010, the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) conducted its 2010 Outlook Report survey in October and November of 2009. The survey asked MCF members and other large grantmakers in the state to predict how their 2010 giving will compare to 2009. In all, 125 organizations responded, representing about 70 percent of annual grantmaking in the state