At the Legislature
The decisions state legislators make affect your classroom, school and profession. State funding dictates what districts can do about class sizes, special education caseloads, even the condition of your building.
What we do
Education Minnesota has paid lobbyists and hundreds of fellow Minnesota educators fighting for you at the Capitol, connecting with legislators and other state officials to ensure their voices are heard when decisions are made. We track legislation, keep you informed and arm you with the resources you need to influence public policy.
A lot of people think they know what’s best for students without asking educators. Your union gives you a seat at the table because educators know what’s best for students.
What we’re fighting for
A strong system of public schools, one that gives every Minnesota student an equal opportunity for success – no matter what they look like or where they come from – will strengthen our communities and improve the lives of children and their families.
If we are serious about making sure every student can pursue their dreams, our state needs to get serious about funding what works.
Here are just some of the issues we’re prioritizing at the state Capitol.
Get involved
The most effective advocates for public schools are you and your colleagues. Get involved!
- Attend a lobby day
- Testify at a legislative hearing
- Contact your legislators
- Make sure you’re receiving our weekly Capitol Connection e-newsletter
Lobby Days
The most effective advocates for public schools in Minnesota are the front-line educators who guide our students toward successful lives every day, which is why Education Minnesota has made it easier than ever for members to participate in lobby days.
Take action
Write a letter to the editor
Write a letter to the editor and submit to your local newspaper(s) on major education issues. We make it easy with our LTE templates!
Email your legislators
Tell state leaders to fund a career rule for teachers
Minnesota’s school staffing shortage is at crisis levels. We need competitive pay and benefits that attract the best educators to the profession and keep them in our schools. The Minnesota Legislature needs to pass a pension budget target that funds the best career rule possible for teachers THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
Protect unemployment for hourly school workers
The unemployment insurance benefit for ESPs is on the chopping block. Email your legislators and tell them to protect this critical program for the lowest paid staff in our schools! They deserve the same basic economic security that other seasonal employees do in more male-dominated fields like construction and landscaping.
Tell state leaders to invest in educator pay, pensions & health care
Better wages. A respectable retirement. Affordable health care. Educators are worth more! Email Gov. Tim Walz and your state legislators and tell them to invest state funding into the professionals who shape our state’s future through better pay, pensions and health care.
Raise educator wages using state funding
Support a statewide health insurance pool for educators
Health insurance costs are rising faster than wage increases for many educators. Write your legislators and urge them to support a statewide health insurance pool for all school employees. No one should be forced to choose between health care and putting food on the table or a roof over their heads!
Raise revenue to protect our schools, invest in educators
State leaders are deciding on a budget that will show how they plan to respond to Trump’s attack on public education. We must ensure Minnesota’s wealthiest and large corporations pay what they truly owe in taxes so we can protect our schools and invest in improvements to educator pay, pensions and health care. Policymakers need to hear from you now.
Support the ESP Bill of Rights
Everyone who works in public education deserves the same things. Unfortunately, most education support professionals don’t get enough respect in their schools, fair compensation for their work or safe working conditions. Contact your legislators urging them to support our ESP Bill of Rights to benefit these professionals.
