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State Representative John Benson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-9934
For more information contact: Charlene Briner 651-296-5809
Column/LTE
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING EDUCATION HEARING
To the Editor:
I’d like to thank everyone who attended the hearing on education funding at Eisenhower Elementary School this past Thursday night. The strong turnout reflects the high value our communities place on quality education.
By most objective measures, Minnesota students continue to outperform their peers in other states. Nowhere is that more evident than in our west metro schools, which have benefitted from strong local control and community support to produce high student achievement that’s a national model for education excellence.
Over the past decade, unpredictable state funding, increased federal and state mandates, and higher costs for heating fuel, transportation and special education have stretched school budgets to the limit, jeopardizing their ability to maintain high standards and address other challenges. While the Legislature began to reverse the damage of previous state budget cuts with new funding in 2007, and enacted additional short-term funding relief this year, it’s clear that Minnesota’s current model of funding schools is not working for today's students and schools.
That’s why education funding reform is so important. To secure our economic future in the 21st century Minnesota will need a highly-skilled workforce. To create that workforce, schools will need adequate resources that meet the needs of every student, and a meaningful system of accountability that gives us a clear picture of how they’re doing. A strategic plan that reinvests needed new funding and maximizes the utility of every taxpayer dollar is within our reach. Without such reform, schools will never escape the perpetual budget roller-coaster that sacrifices innovation and rigor, and saps their strength.
Sincerely,
State Representative John Benson
House District 43B
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