Moving MDE websites to the cloud improves service for families and educators

This initiative modernizes the back end of the Minnesota Department of Education’s websites to better serve Minnesotans who rely on timely, accurate, and secure information about education programs, policies, and services. By moving seven high-traffic websites to a modern, cloud-based platform, MDE will deliver a more reliable, and accessible digital experience for the millions of users who visit these sites each year.

For students, families, educators, and community partners, the upgraded infrastructure improves website performance, availability, and security—reducing outages and ensuring consistent access to critical information. Enhanced protections, including web application firewalls and denial-of-service safeguards, help keep public-facing sites available and trustworthy, even during periods of high demand or attempted attacks.

For content managers across MDE, the new platform simplifies how information is published and updated. A modern, user-friendly content management experience improves accuracy and timeliness for the public.

For developers and IT staff, the transition to Azure enables faster deployments, automated infrastructure management, and modern development practices. This reduces manual effort, improves consistency, and allows staff to focus on improving services rather than maintaining aging hardware and software.

Website visitors benefit through:

• A more reliable and responsive web experience.
• Stronger security and data protection, increasing trust in MDE’s digital services.
• More efficient operations, allowing staff more efficiently keep information current and accurate.

Success means establishing a secure, resilient, cloud-based platform for MDE’s websites—supporting public engagement, timely communication, and future digital enhancements that strengthen service to Minnesota’s education community and beyond.