Education Minnesota calls on legislators to keep their focus on students and educators next session
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. Dec. 4, 2024 – The Minnesota Legislature will face difficult decisions in governing and setting a budget during the 2025 session and beyond but fixing the pervasive shortage of educators in Minnesota’s public schools must remain a priority, said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota.
“No matter where we live, where we’re from or what we look like, Minnesotans know the future of our state depends on public education – from preschool to post-graduation learning,” Specht said. “The staffing shortage of educators is the biggest challenge our schools are facing right now, and our state Legislature must continue to do its part to recruit and retain educators through improvements to pay, pensions and health care.”
The Minnesota Management and Budget Office predicted a $616 million surplus in the next biennium in the forecast released Wednesday. Spending for E-12 education is expected to increase by $1.47 billion, or 6.2 percent, in the next biennium, primarily because of growth in general education and special education programs, the forecast said. The 2023 Legislature wrote inflationary increases for education into law. The MMB also predicted a continued slow decline in the total number of students in public schools due to demographic shifts, but an increase in the number of students requiring special education services.
“Minnesota schools can bank on the state covering a share of their rising costs due to the decisions by Gov. Walz and DFL legislative leaders to legislate automatic increases in education spending,” Specht said. “On the other hand, this may be the year Minnesotans learn about the important role the federal government plays in public education in Minnesota. The failure by Congress to fulfill its funding promises for special education services across the country will continue to squeeze the state budget. The potential for the incoming administration to follow through on the promises of Project 2025 that call for pulling millions of dollars in education funding from the states will be another challenge for the next Legislature, and for the educators and parents who care about Minnesota students and their schools.”
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
