Senate Republicans today introduced the Students First plan, a legislative package aimed at returning the focus of Minnesota’s K-12 education system to student success, safe classrooms, and informed parents. The bills align with the $0 Senate Budget Target set by the Democrat Majority and works to free up existing funds while addressing safety concerns in schools.  

Despite more than a decade of historic increases in education funding, schools across Minnesota are facing budget shortfalls, layoffs, and program cuts— school officials from across the state testified to both Senate education committees in January about the challenges created by the dozens of new mandates passed by the democrat majority.  

“Every school knows what they need to get kids back on track, but a one-size-fits-all plan is not a solution that addresses the needs of our kids and schools,” said Senator Michael Kreun (R-Blaine). “Too many mandates from St. Paul have made it hard for schools to appropriately fund the individual needs of their students. Our Students First plan focuses on empowering local districts to decide what will and won’t work for their students, so we can have students at the forefront of education,” Sen. Kreun said.

Key elements of the Students First plan are addressed by multiple bills and include the following goals: 

• Allowing schools to delay or eliminate the costly, unfunded mandates, allowing school districts to help stretch their budgets and divert funds back into the classrooms
• Prioritizing student safety by ensuring schools have resources and flexibility to create safe learning environments
• Keeping parents informed through enhanced notification and transparency requirements

“School districts in my area have been loud and clear on their biggest areas of concern: a loss of local control replaced by legislative control, with nearly every education dollar being tied to a mandate. This makes it extremely difficult for schools to prioritize their needs and ensure the funds go to the classrooms,” continued Kreun. “Every dollar that schools must expend to comply with a mandate is a dollar coming away from educating students. Our plan addresses all of these concerns and focuses on letting teachers teach and setting students up for success.”