The future of public education is being decided on the campaign trail as children returned to school on Tuesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — Gov. Tim Waltz and members of his education team greeted children who arrived Tuesday at Zanewood Elementary School in Brooklyn Park, a community school in the Osseo area.
“The future of Minnesota stands there. It’s beautiful. It’s diverse. It’s energetic. It’s hopeful. It’s inclusive.”
This is Waltz’s inaugural tradition, and it came as he engaged in a heated campaign debate with Republican challenger Dr. Scott Jensen. Jensen has argued that Minnesota’s public schools need a major overhaul, including options for parents to use taxpayer funds to pay for private school tuition. I’m here.
Waltz ran as an educational candidate in 2018, which makes sense given that he made a career teaching geography at Mankato West High School.
In both the 2019 and 2021 budget races at the State Capitol, Waltz will raise money for local school districts in both per-student funding and special dollars for pre-kindergarten and special education programs. We were able to win a significant increase in state aid.
“Every child, regardless of zip code, race or economic background, has whatever opportunity to attend the best schools in the country,” he told reporters after signing the 2019 Education Finance Bill. . In two years she spent more than $500 million on school.
He persuaded lawmakers to add another $1.2 billion for public education in 2021. He asked for more this year, including more mental health support in schools, but the Republican-controlled Senate didn’t agree to another big school aid package in a low-budget year.
“I know we’re always ranked high in Minnesota. The last two years have been tough. Kids need to go to school,” Walz told KARE at the State Fair.
The 2022 session ended with most of the major spending bills up in the air, despite a projected $9 billion budget overrun. Waltz failed to persuade Republican leaders to get the job done in a special session.
Jensen, a former state senator, urged Republican lawmakers to reject Waltz’s spending priorities for surplus funds.
The Republican candidate blamed Waltz for significantly lower scores on math, reading and science tests compared to before classroom learning was disrupted during the pandemic.
“We’re trying to help our kids, but as a system in Minnesota it’s failing!” Jensen told reporters at a State Fair press conference..
In August, the Minnesota Department of Education released data showing that 44.8% of children statewide are proficient in math, compared to 55% in 2019. In reading, she was 51.1% compared to her 59.2% in 2019. Science scores also showed a significant drop. 41.3% compared to 50.7% in 2019.
The Republican candidate’s 10-point education plan calls for parents to use taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition. He also plans to turn underperforming public schools into charter or private schools run by their own school boards.
Jensen argues that spending more money on public education would be a waste of taxpayers’ money because new investments made by the Walz Administration have so far failed to improve school performance. said Waltz’s decision to put schools in distance learning mode was particularly tough for children of color from low-income families.
“We have to be bold. Now we have a broken institution. Now Education Minnesota is completely throwing teachers under the bus,” Jensen told KARE. rice field.
“Teachers do not feel supported by the union. Teachers come to our campaign saying we are with you.”
He said public schools should focus on their mission and move away from sexual orientation and racial accounting within the country.
“It’s basic education, not indoctrination. No need to oversexualize children. No critical racial theories,” Jensen said.
The governor argues there is no way to divert tax dollars to private schools without compromising public schools’ mission in the process. He also called for Jensen to phase out Minnesota’s personal income tax. It also mentions that This tax now accounts for his 40% of the state government’s total revenue.
“The way we fund our schools should not be decided based on property taxes or bond referendums because we are winners based on the wealth of our communities, not the value of our children. and pick losers,” he said.
When asked by reporters on Tuesday what grade he’d given himself on education, Governor Waltz replied with an incomplete grade.
“I think it’s incomplete at this point. There’s still work to be done. I knew this was a generational shift, but I’m more optimistic than ever.”
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