It’s been a busy week with K-12 Education initiatives in the Minnesota House. As I serve on both the education policy and education finance committees, we’ve had numerous discussions on proposals, including some that I am authoring.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS
Our education leads held a press conference this week highlighting the need to provide a lifeline to our schools that are overwhelmed with the 65 mandates that were forced upon them by legislative Democrats and Governor Walz last session. Many are laying off teachers and other staff in order to avoid going into debt.
In addition, Governor Walz has also proposed $200 million in cuts to K-12 Education over the next two years, which also has superintendents and school boards worried.
We can alleviate these problems, but it would require Democrats admitting some of their ideas from last session have hurt schools, and to date they’re unwilling to go there.
Some of the things House Republicans would like to do include allowing schools (with school board approval) to delay implementation of some or all of the new mandates; allowing schools to temporarily transfer funds between budget accounts; finding common sense efficiencies within the Minnesota Department of Education and funneling those dollars to our schools for students; and creating opportunities for schools to innovate locally.

EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT ACCOUNT PROGRAM
This week I introduced legislation giving Minnesota families more control over their children’s education. The program aims to enhance education freedom and flexibility for families while ensuring proper oversight of fund usage by allowing parents to apply for education accounts, funded based on the state's per-pupil education revenue. Unused funds can be used for post-secondary tuition in the year after graduation. This education freedom initiative ensures that parents—not bureaucrats—decide the best educational path for their kids, and empowers parent’s choice in their children’s education.

RECESS DETENTION MODIFICATIONS
We’ve all heard stories about kids who lose their recess because they’re being punished for some wrongdoing. A bill I'm authoring would put some specifics into this process, noting that schools may only use it if a student poses a serious physical harm risk, parents are notified, or an IEP team deems it necessary for special education students.
It would also ensure that if a student is forced to skip recess, he or she won’t be staring at the wall and that they will be doing something productive.

BUS SAFETY TRAINING
Minnesota school districts must provide students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade with age-appropriate active transportation safety training. But school officials have told us of problems with kids who arrive later in the school year, after the trainings have taken place. This is why I’m authoring legislation that repeals the deadlines for schools to provide the required active transportation safety training.