The 2023 Minnesota State Legislature convened on January 3 and in the nine working days since the session began, education funding has already been a major topic of conversation. Several stakeholder groups including Education Minnesota, the statewide teacher’s union, the Professional Educator Licensure and Standards Board, Minnesota State Demographer Susan Brower, as well as students from across Minnesota have already presented at some of the Senate and House education finance and education policy committees.
The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers’ Education Support Professionals President Catina Taylor, an education support professional for the last 24 years, spoke at the Jan. 10 Senate Education Finance committee meeting.
“Educational support professionals are the glue that keeps schools together. We are the first ones to greet students in the morning and often the last adults they see before going home,” Taylor said. “In between, we build strong relationships with students and they trust us.”
Taylor urged the State senators to support unemployment insurance legislation for education support professionals who are often unpaid during the summer months. Unemployment insurance legislation has yet to be introduced during this legislative session.
For districts like Minneapolis Public Schools, the legislative session is particularly crucial. School districts depend on state and federal funding to help them cover the gap in their funding. Given the district’s major budget deficits, this is a big deal.
The district lobbyist presented MPS’s legislative priorities at the Nov. 15 board meeting. The plan lays out five focus areas for the 2023-2024 legislative session.
- Stable, predictable funding, which includes tying the general education aid formula to inflation and renewing voluntary pre-K funding
- Safe schools and communities which includes limiting children’s access to guns
- Special education funding and policy which includes fully funding special education
- Stable, healthy engaged families, which includes an increase in State support for community schools
- Equitable access to proven programs and supports which includes increasing in English Learner Language funding
These five focus areas are not guaranteed to be turned into legislation, but will be the focus of the district’s lobbying efforts.
Some of the legislation currently moving through the legislature is of particular importance to MPS because of both the priorities that government relations to MPS named and some of the issues raised by community members. Much of this legislation has yet to be heard, though some of it is on the agenda for next week. Here is the status of some of the most pertinent legislation already introduced:
Rep. Dan Wolgamott (DFL - District 14B) introduced House File 18 which would, if passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, fully fund special education in Minnesota. The bill is co-authored by 35 other state representatives. There is a corresponding Senate File 28, authored by Sen. Bonnie Westlin (DFL - District 42) and co-authored by several senators. Neither bill has been heard in committee yet, but both have been referred to Education Finance.
House File 5, and the corresponding Senate File 123, is proposed legislation that would require and appropriate funding for all Minnesota school districts to provide a free breakfast and lunch for all students. Both files have both been introduced and referred to Education Policy. According to MPS,
“The first meals [of the day] we serve to students are subsidized–or partly paid for–by government. This is true even for students not eligible for free or reduced meals, meaning that we receive subsidies for students who pay for their first meal. This is how we are able to keep the costs of first meals lower. MPS does not receive any government subsidies however for second meals, and thus the cost is higher.”
Legislators can introduce legislation for the 2024 session throughout this year.
Governor Walz and other legislators have noted that education funding is a priority during this year’s legislative session.
A Few Thing You Should Know About the 2023-2024 Minnesota State Legislature
This year, for the first time since 2014, the State of Minnesota has a DFL trifecta - a DFL Governor (and Administration), a DFL House, and a DFL Senate.
The Minesota State Legislature works on a two-year schedule. Year one of the biennium is dedicated primarily to budget issues. Year two of the biennium is dedicated to “bonding” or infrastructure issues. Any bill introduced in year one can be brought to the table in year two of the biennium. Any bill not passed by the end of the biennium is killed and must be reintroduced in the new legislative biennium.
The 2023 legislative session is set to adjourn on May 22, though of course they can end early if they choose to. Anything occurring after May 22 and before the 2024 legislative session would require a special session.
Looking Forward: Next Week’s Education-Related Legislative Discussions*
Jan. 17, 8:30 a.m.: Senate Education Finance will be concluding a presentation on education financing. Additionally there will be an introduction to Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett.
- This is a hybrid meeting and it will be available to watch on YouTube for those who cannot make it to the meeting. A link will be made available on the daily calendar - just search for the Education Finance, but make sure it is the Senate Committee.
Jan. 17, 10:30 a.m.: House Education Finance will hear several overviews and presentations from the Minnesota Board of School administrators, Minnesota Office of School Land Trusts, Minnesota State Academies, and the Perpich Center for Arts Education
- We will not know until Jan. 16 if this Jan. 17 committee meeting is livestreamed and available to watch online. For those willing to trek to the Capitol the meeting information can be found on the daily calendar.
Jan. 17, 3 p.m.: House Education Policy will be discussing a bill that establishes Indigenous People’s Day as a state holiday and that eliminates Christopher Columbus Day as a state holiday. They will also discuss a bill that would share tribally enrolled or descended student educational data with Tribal nations.
- MPS already observes Indigenous People’s Day. Those wishing to attend the committee meeting can check out the daily calendar.
Jan. 18, 8:30 a.m.: Senate Education Finance will discuss a bill pertaining to supplemental aid for transportation, nutrition, English learners, and special education
- This is legislation that will be of particular importance to MPS families. The meeting will be streamed to YouTube - check out the daily calendar for the link closer to the meeting date.
Jan. 18, 10:30 a.m.: House Education Finance will be discussing a bill that would ensure a free school lunch and breakfast for all Minnesota students. They will also be discussing legislation that would require all schools to provide access to menstrual products for students. The State would fund these resources.
- More information on the meeting can be found here.
Jan. 18, 12:30 p.m.: Senate Education Policy will discuss a corresponding bill to the House’s bill on access to menstrual products, as well as a bill pertaining to access to breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota students.
- This is a hybrid meeting and can be viewed online. Check out the daily calendar closer to the day of to grab the link.
Jan. 18, 3 p.m.: House Education Policy will be discussing legislation that would ban the suspension of students from Kindergarten through third grade. They will also be discussing legislation to strengthen the already-existing Teachers of Color and American Indian Teacher legislation.
- Both bills will likely be of particular interest to MPS and MPS families. Check out the daily calendar to learn more about the meeting.
Jan. 19, 8:30 a.m.: Senate Education Finance - there is nothing on the agenda yet, but that is subject to change. The meeting will be a hybrid and available online to watch. More details can be found on the daily calendar.
Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m.: House Education Finance will be hosting a Student Voices Day. Check out the daily calendar for more information.
*This is not an all-encompassing overview and it is subject to change at any point
