Dear Neighbors,
Last week was a busy one on the floor of the Minnesota House, with three wide ranging omnibus bills being passed. The House Majority chose to wrap up all areas of the state budget into three bills, one dealing with E-12 and Higher Education, one containing Jobs, Agriculture, and Environment provisions, and another with Health and Human Services, Public Safety, and State Government.
Overall, this budget package put together by the House Majority is highlighted by some significant missed opportunities that were left out. Perhaps most disappointingly, despite a $900 million state budget surplus, investments in education were left flat with a budget target of $0. Our budget surplus presented an opportunity to make good progress, but the majority party is focused on spending money on tax cuts, with the lion’s share expected to benefit corporate special interests.
With the challenges facing our students, this isn’t the approach we ought to be taking. For instance, the state's budget was in part balanced on the backs of our students over the last dozen years. Minnesota students graduate college with the fifth highest average debt load in the nation, and 70 percent of all Minnesota graduates carry debt, which is the third highest percentage in the nation. If we want to keep young people in the state of Minnesota and attract others to move here, it’s vitally important to start providing student debt relief for this enormous economic burden. As Minnesota college students are saddled with such high amounts of debt, they are putting off buying homes and starting families. This is a longer term economic issue than just the next legislative budget cycle or next few calendar years. What we do regarding student debt will impact our next generation of young people. We cannot afford to do nothing.
On a related note to education, last Friday the Office of the Legislative Auditor held an informational roundtable as part of their recently launched evaluation on standardized testing. In my time in the Legislature, I have heard many educators and parents questioning the effectiveness of this testing. I serve on the Legislative Audit Commission and I requested the OLA to perform this evaluation. Many of these tests are to satisfy the No Child Left Behind Act (now the Every Student Succeeds Act). Many districts struggle to find the resources to administer and prepare students for them. The tests are taking away time for teachers to teach and students to learn. There have also been concerns raised with regard to the third-party companies that administer the MCA tests, which have caused some delays and other difficulties.
I’m hopeful this evaluation will yield meaningful recommendations which will help improve student learning and with it improve student outcomes. I invite you to share your ideas with me as well, which I will share with the OLA staff. I want to thank the St. Anthony/New Brighton Schools who came and testified, as well as all the teachers.
Important work remains to be accomplished with less than three weeks left in the legislative session. The House Majority remains far apart from the Senate Majority and the Governor on a comprehensive transportation package. There hasn’t been much discussion about a tax bill, and we are still waiting on the House Majority’s proposal for a capital investment bonding bill to take care of our state assets. As these discussions go forward, I hope you will stay in touch about the issues that matter to you. Feel free to reach out to me by phone or email anytime. It’s an honor to represent you and the community I grew up in at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Connie Bernardy
State Representative