Minnesota Senate budget plan honors funding promises, but falls short on pensions
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. March 28, 2025 – The Minnesota Senate released the first details of its plan for the state budget on Friday, and while it delivers on promised increases to E-12 education, it doesn’t provide enough money for improving teacher pensions, Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said.
“The staffing shortage across the state means too many students are trying to learn in overcrowded classrooms and the workload is burning out educators at an alarming rate,” Specht said. “The state must address this crisis head-on by investing in improvements to pay, pensions and health care for all educators so districts can recruit and retain staff. The Senate plans to spend only $45 million for all public sector pensions, not just for teachers. This is inadequate and unacceptable. This issue is too important for the Legislature to delay any longer.”
However, the Senate budget plan does honor the 2023 Legislature’s promise to put more than $2 billion in new education spending for the biennium on the per-pupil formula and for English language learners and special education. Because this increase is automatic, it may be overlooked in the budget plan released Friday. The House is expected to release its budget plan next week. Eventually, the two chambers and Gov. Tim Walz must negotiate a final budget deal.
“While the threat of massive cuts in federal spending in Minnesota has put all the budget discussions under a cloud of uncertainty, we still believe the state can do better for its educators,” Specht said. “The Legislature must consider raising more revenue from the wealthiest Minnesotans and largest corporations to protect and grow the things that matter, especially when the Trump administration won’t.”
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.
