Minnesota education officials on Tuesday made the case to legislators for a $745 million package that they said will help students recover from the pandemic and improve the state's educational disparities.
The package is part of Gov. Tim Walz's$52.4 billion budget proposaland includes funding for measures in his"Due North" education plan, which he unveiled in late January. The education budget recommendation spans a number of programs, from summer tutoring to diversifying the teacher workforce — and may be a tough sell to legislators when the state is facing an $883 million budget deficit.
The agency's ask is geared toward improving equity and "ensuring access and participation for every single student, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality and ability," Heather Mueller, deputy commissioner of the Department of Education, told members of the House Education Finance Committee.