One side of the political aisle gave an education funding proposal an A; the other side gave it in F. Tuesday’s final grade is an incomplete because no vote was taken, but will be in the future.

One statistic remains a particularly resilient hurdle to filling the ongoing teacher shortage in the state, according to a 2025 report from the Department of Education: nearly one-third of Minnesota teachers leave the profession within the first five years.

“We used to begin our mornings at Columbia Academy focused on instruction and student engagement and academic growth. Now we begin in crisis response,” said the academy principal.

An agreement would fund Minnesota schools with $25.73 billion in the 2026-27 biennium, an increase of about $4.2 million. However, it also calls for a $420 million general education funding cut in the 2028-29 biennium when the state is expected to face a budgetary shortfall.

Adjusted for inflation, teachers are making 5% less on average than a decade ago, according to a report from the National Education Association

Educators and public safety personnel would benefit greatly from the omnibus pension and retirement bill.

While hundreds of Education Minnesota teachers’ union members rallied inside the Capitol in St. Paul Saturday, former Anoka-Hennepin teacher Dan Larson was outside, talking about the uncertainties of retiring at age 62 and whether state lawmakers would pony up money for pension reform.

A Senate resolution passed under the Congressional Review Act would overturn coverage of the devices in the federal broadband assistance program.

Minnesota students attending a Changemakers Forum in November 2024 identified overdose prevention education as their top legislative priority.

In addition to advancing AI in schools, the orders call for a review of discipline guidance based on “discriminatory and unlawful ‘equity’ ideology.”

MINNEAPOLIS – Today, Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett sent a response to the April 3 U.S. Department of Education request for certification of compliance and updated Minnesota educators and school leaders.

Early learning scholarships provide funding for children to attend a high-quality early learning program. In an effort to keep that program alive and well, HF470 would appropriate $96.5 million annually in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to the Early Learning Scholarship program and makes the appropriation ongoing.