Minnesota’s education system is the foundation of our strong economy. Quality education opens doors for students and creates opportunities for people all across the state to thrive. It equips Minnesotans with the tools to be one of the best workforces in the country, and fuels the intellectual equity that business and industry in Minnesota rely on—and relocate here for. Beyond these things, providing every Minnesota child with a strong start no matter where in the state they live is a constitutional and moral obligation. Every child has an equal right to education. From cradle-to-college, we must support our students to ensure they can lead successful and productive lives.
I am a proud graduate of the schools I now represent in the Minnesota Legislature. Every Friday, I spend time in an Apple Valley or Lakeville classroom so I remain connected to the students and teachers most impacted by the Legislature’s decisions in St. Paul. And each week, I see first-hand the incredible work our teachers are doing—and the thoughtful, creative and successful students they’re working with—to lead our state into the future. During my weekly classroom visits, I ask each teacher how the Legislature can best support student learning. The answer is resoundingly simple: fully fund our schools.
With a $1.65 billion surplus, I expected bi-partisan support for fully funding Minnesota schools. I was confident that, despite ideological differences on other issues, supporting Minnesota’s students is where Democrats and Republicans could find common ground.
I was disappointed when my House Republican colleagues unveiled their education proposals, which will eliminate free, voluntary pre-K for thousands of Minnesota kids, woefully underfunds our K-12 students, and let college costs and debt continue to rise.
Thousands of Minnesota kids currently enrolled in free, voluntary pre-K will see their programs eliminated under the House Republican plan. In fact, they are choosing to cut all funding. New research out of the University of Minnesota shows investments in quality, consistent early learning supports not just educational achievement, but positive social-emotional development that helps children become better prepared for the classroom. Instead of cutting, we should be expanding pre-k across Minnesota.
Minnesota schools won’t see funding to keep up with inflation in the House Republican plan either, meaning teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and less resources for students. Schools need a 2% increase to keep up with inflation, anything less will lead to cuts. That’s why I chief authored a bill that goes beyond the bare minimum and provides Minnesota schools a 2.5% increase to invest in mental health services, gifted and talented programs, reading specialists, social workers, special education, media services, arts and athletics, more teachers, more paraprofessionals, smaller class sizes, and vocational training. Instead of cutting, we should be investing in education to give schools the resources needed to make positive changes for students.
When we talk about education as the key to giving our children the tools for success, higher education must be a part of that conversation. Most jobs and careers in the modern economy require additional training beyond high school. Minnesotans take pride in being home to a world-class higher education system and technical schools. But for a decade, state support for public colleges and universities has been cut and tuition has risen.
On average, college students in Minnesota graduate with the fifth-most student loan debt in the nation. Getting a degree or necessary training to make a living is forcing many Minnesotans to delay major life events, like living independently, getting married, having children, or buying a home. Instead of increasing college costs, we should freeze tuition for all Minnesota students and help reduce student debt.
The Republican Education bill will leave Minnesota school districts in the red, ignoring what we know is needed to successfully educate our children. Their plan to defund pre-K, underfund schools, and underfund higher education will leave parents footing more of the bill to ensure their kids can succeed. With a budget surplus, there’s no excuse for not fully fund our schools. This is the wrong choice—it’s bad for our economy, and we can do better.
Fully funding our schools shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Minnesotans support investments in education because we know it’s an investment in our future. Regrettably, the House Republican proposal that cuts pre-K, underfunds higher education, and shortchanges our K-12 schools is an investment in failure.