Schools
Walz, DFL legislators at odds over eliminating Minnesota’s special education cross-subsidy
Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic lawmakers are currently at odds over how much state funding school districts should receive for special education, with the DFL governor initially proposing half of what legislators are hoping for. Minnesota districts are required to provide special education services for students, but they don’t receive enough state or federal funding […]
DFL Legislature moving quickly on a range of issues three weeks into session
The DFL-controlled House passed a bill Thursday codifying the right to an abortion into law. It now moves to the Senate. That’s just one policy area where the DFL is moving fast. Some other big bills that moved forward this week: Bill requiring the state’s utilities to generate 100% of electricity from carbon-free sources by […]
Lawmakers propose free menstrual products in Minnesota schools for grades 4-12
Some DFL lawmakers are hoping to require school districts across Minnesota to provide free menstrual products for students. The House bill, which passed through the House Education Policy Committee last week, would require public and charter schools to provide students access to free menstrual products in student restrooms for grades 4-12. Chief author Rep. Sandra […]
Walz proposes child tax credits, universal free lunch, boost in K-12 education funding
Gov. Tim Walz began rolling out the centerpiece of his second term agenda Tuesday, promising to make Minnesota the best place in America to raise children. Using a St. Paul school as a backdrop, he proposed an expansive education and child care plan that includes tax breaks for Minnesota families with children, K-12 spending hikes […]
House committee furthers universal free meals program for Minnesota schools
Minnesota Democrats are again advocating to provide free meals for all students, and now with a $17.6 billion budget surplus they are hoping it will become a reality. The federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic reimbursed schools for the cost of breakfast and lunch for all students. This program ended in September, pulling the rug […]
Walz wants more education funding but yet to offer specifics ahead of legislative session
Gov. Tim Walz, now with fewer hurdles to enact his agenda thanks to the DFL’s state government trifecta, offered few specifics about his education funding priorities during a school visit Tuesday. Walz did allow that Minnesota needs to address staffing shortages, reduce property taxes and work to provide free lunch for public school students. At […]
Minnesota teachers’ union pushing for multibillion-dollar education investment
Minnesota’s teachers’ union is pushing lawmakers to make a multibillion-dollar investment in the state’s public schools now that education- and union-friendly Democrats have full control of state government. Education Minnesota, which played a big role in the DFL’s electoral victory, said on Thursday that it will lobby legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Walz — a […]
Affirmative action supporters rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON — The onset of rain did not deter students and supporters of affirmative action from protesting Monday morning outside the U.S. Supreme Court while justices considered two cases that could reshape the college admissions process. “It’s not a secret that if you eliminated race conscious policies, it would further diminish the number of students […]
U.S. Supreme Court justices cast doubt on affirmative action in college admissions
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Monday questioned the legality of race-conscious policies in college admissions, as the justices weighed two cases that could upend the admissions process many colleges use to try to boost diversity on campus. At issue are two cases that challenge the lawfulness of affirmative action at Harvard […]
Fact-check: Minnesota students of color aren’t doing better than peers, as Walz said
During the first and only televised debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Republican nominee Scott Jensen on Tuesday, the DFL governor praised Minnesota’s performance in education, especially among the state’s students of color. The moderators asked the candidates about declining test scores and learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning. Walz used […]
U of M regent asks if Morris campus is becoming ‘too diverse’
University of Minnesota Regent Steve Sviggum suggested that increased diversity may be contributing to declining enrollment at the system’s rural Morris campus during a recent meeting of the board of regents. “Is it possible at Morris that we’ve become too diverse? Is it possible at all from a marketing standpoint?” Sviggum said. Sviggum prefaced his […]
State aid per student has decreased by 20% in Minnesota in last two decades, report finds
State aid per student has declined by 20% in the past 20 years, according to a new report by the progressive think tank North Star Policy Action. Relying on Minnesota Department of Education data, the analysis found a sharp decline in per pupil aid once adjusted for inflation. In the absence of help from the […]