Issue Position: Strong Public Education

Issue Position

Nothing is more fundamental to our success in giving individuals the tools for personal success, building a strong community and society, a sound economy and a resilient democracy than making sure everyone has a high quality education.

Every politician and every political party claim to be "for" education, so it is important to examine actions when considering rhetoric.

In the past 12 years, Republicans in Minnesota have systematically disinvested in our public K-12 education system, driving up property taxes, thwarted advances in early childhood education and eliminated funding for our higher education institutions forcing tuition increases that far outstrip inflation. Under the pretext of balancing the budget, by terming it a "shift," they have taken money directly from schools to balance the state's General Fund budget, taking whopping $700 million in 2011 driving the total amount up to $2.2 billion, which perpetuates year over year. They have been singularly focused on an agenda of political retribution against professional teachers' labor organizations under the guise of reform. They've supported education leadership that would insert narrow religious dogma into our public schools. Republicans have sought to play up the politics of division, resentment and discrimination between communities and groups of people rather than addressing real students' needs in the real world.

Early Childhood Education. Every dollar we invest in high quality early childhood education returns $12. When kids brains are stimulated to fully develop at the most critical time in their lives, their ability to learn, succeed and lead healthy, productive lives improves dramatically regardless of their socio-economic status. A high quality early childhood education available to every child, especially low income children, must be a priority.

Public K-12 Education. The Minnesota Constitution mandates that "The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state." Stopping the slide in education funding, making sure we acknowledge differences between districts and schools so every kids has an equally excellent education, fully funding special education, ensuring we have and can keep top notch teachers and principals, are all important steps we can take.
Higher Education. Every dollar we invest in the U, our state's only research University returns over $13 to our economy. University alumni have founded over 10,000 Minnesota companies. Between the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) that train our workforce, and the University of Minnesota system, we have no greater economic engine. Making sure that double digit tuition increases are a thing of the past, keeping the State Grant tuition assistance program strong, investing in state of the art facilities, attracting and retaining the best faculty and researchers, and streamlining the process of commercializing research are important goals.

Source