MPS Parent Legislative Action Committee

The Legislature has reached that point in the budget-setting process where teh House and Senate will be meeting in a conference committee to sort out difference between their funding bills. Please take just a few minutes to call or email your State Senator and State Representative. The action alerts below provide you with three key messages to convey. Thanks for supporting the students, parents and staff of MPS!

ACTION ALERT - English
ACTION ALERT - Espanol
ACTION ALERT - Hmoob
ACTION ALERT - Soomaali

Espanol       Hmoob     Soomaali

I hope you will consider joining me at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 8 for a day of advocacy for public schools. We are partnering with the Association of Metropolitan School Districtsto hold our day on the hill on March 8.

What can you do to prepare?
Call or email your State Representative and State Senator and ask to meet with them on March 8th. You will likely get a 15 minutes meeting and it may be with a small group of other constituents. Be ready to explain why adequately funding public schools should be your legislators' top priority. I have included a few ideas below but you may also add how your school has been impacted by inadequate funding.

To find your State Representative and State Senator, type your address in the "Who Represents Me? tool - https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/

What are the key messages to deliver?

• The underfunding of English Learner and special education services impacts all students. For Minneapolis, this means the district's general fund must cover nearly $70 million because the state has failed to adequately fund these important services.
• Education makes up 38% of the state budget and should receive 38% of the forecasted budget surplus. In addition to investing ongoing funding into schools, the one-time funds available in the budget surplus may be used over the next four years to boost education spending.
• Connect the general education aid formula to inflation. Since 2003, the backbone of the state's education funding system, the general education aid formula, has lost significant ground when compared to inflation adjusted costs. If the general education aid formula had kept up with inflation, each student would generate $1,263. For Minneapolis Public Schools that would mean more than $35 million this year alone.

If you cannot attend in person, please consider emailing or calling your State Representative and State Senator. Ask them to make funding for public schools their top priority, especially funding to make up for the underfunding of special education and English Learner services.

Please email me if you're planning on attending. I will organize a gathering of MPS parents and community members on the 8th.

Thanks for all you do to support the students, parents and staff of Minneapolis Public Schools.

Josh Downham
Lobbyist, Minneapolis Public Schools

downham@gmail.com

Governor Walz and Lieutentant Governor Flanagan presented an ambitious set of recommendations for the state's next two year budget. Two areas we would like to see greater investments in are special education and English Learner services. We are asking parents and community members to reach out to the Governor's office to ask the administration to work with state lawmakers to phase in full funding for special education and English Learner services. The district is using nearly $70 million in general education aids to support these important programs and we need the state to do their part to fund them.

ACTION ALERT - English
ACTION ALERT - Espanol
ACTION ALERT - Hmoob
ACTION ALERT - Soomaali

Presentation to the Bancroft and Hiawatha/Howe PTO - January 9, 2023

Minnesota House and Senate leaders released their lists of committee chairs including those lawmakers who will oversee education funding and policy. Learn more.

Learn about some of the items on the proposed MPS legislative agenda.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Minneapolis Board of Education will hear and discuss the proposed 2023 legislative agenda. They will vote on the final legislative agenda at the Dec. 13 Board meeting.

To keep up-to-date on our legislative work, please consider signing up for the MPS Parent Legislative Action Committee.