Rep. Selcer: This has been the 'Education Session'

Dear Neighbors,

This session has truly been the ‘education session’ at the Capitol, and we have passed higher education and E-12 education bills that will help create the world’s best workforce here in Minnesota and move our state forward.

We have passed the conference committee report on the Omnibus E-12 Education Finance and Policy Bill to fully fund all-day kindergarten, invest in early learning scholarships and strengthen our schools.  The bill’s goal is to create the world’s best workforce in Minnesota by closing the achievement gap, reaching a 100 percent high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy by third grade, and 100 percent career and college readiness by graduation — all by 2027. 

We have excellent Eden Prairie, Hopkins and Minnetonka schools, and this bill will make them even better. In recent years, our state has slipped in classroom funding and Minnesota is now ranked 47th in the country in terms of classroom sizes.  We have always been a leader in education and the investments in this bill renew our commitment to education and its ability to keep our state competitive.

The E-12 bill also includes several necessary reforms to make sure that students are being prepared for successful futures.  Schools will be required to develop strategic plans for student achievement and must update community on their status each year. In addition,  a new student assessment system will be implemented to ensure that students are being challenged and driven towards their career and college goals.  

Our Higher Education budget bill focuses on holding down state tuition, reducing student debt, and providing oversight to spending by our colleges and universities.  The bill will freeze tuition for undergraduates at the University of Minnesota (U of M) and the Minnesota State Colleges and University system (MnSCU) for the next two years.  Over the last decade, tuition has nearly doubled while administrative spending has remained high in these institutions.  Our bill implements new oversight reforms to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely at the U of M and MnSCU.

Please contact me with any questions you have on these education proposals.  I appreciate hearing your views.  As always, thank you for the honor of being your voice in St. Paul.

Best,

Yvonne