Heading back to schoolIt’s hard to believe, but the start of the 2023-24 school year is just around the corner. This school year, you will likely notice some changes due to new laws going into effect before the fall. During this year’s legislative session, we made historic investments in our public education system, and for the first time in years, fully funded our public schools. The money we invested in our students will mean brighter futures for Bloomington students through better access to vital resources to help prepare them for life after graduation. Whether you’re a new parent with littles just starting Pre-K or about to watch your high school senior plan for what comes next, you will notice some key changes this fall. All of these new education laws represent a major investment in the future of Minnesota's students. They will help to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code or background. I wish you well as we finish out another beautiful Minnesota summer, and hope you have a fantastic back-to-school season before school starts! You can find back-to-school supply lists for your district here: You can read a nonpartisan recap of all the new laws. Find information on laws that went into effect on July 1 here and laws that went into effect on August 1 here. Universal School MealsOne change many families will feel almost immediately is Universal School Meals - every public-school student is now able to receive free breakfast and lunch every day. This means no more negative lunch accounts or lunchroom bullying due to food insecurity. We’ve witnessed far too many kids fall in the gap between need-based free and reduced lunch eligibility and not being able to afford to pay full price, causing kids to go hungry while trying to learn and prepare for their futures. It’s simple: regardless of the reason, our kids can’t learn on an empty stomach. By providing meals to all students, we ensure no kid goes hungry or suffers academically due to lack of food access. Not only are we ensuring kids have access to food, we’re also working to make sure they have a safe place to rest their heads at night. The Homeless Youth Act, which invests $41.5 million in addressing youth homelessness, will increase youth housing, shelter beds and prevention efforts. The additional funds will also allow shelters and outreach organization to raise wages for staff who frequently turnover due to high stress and burnout. That’s not all – my bill to supply all students with free menstrual products at school also went into effect. This is a problem that previously went under-acknowledged and inadequately addressed, despite its major impact on Minnesota’s kids. Eliminating these barriers for our kids will have positive effects on our young learners during an incredibly formative age. Here’s a wonderful MPR story featuring the student advocates behind this legislative milestone. Better tools and resources to serve our kidsWe also significantly increased per-pupil funding and reduced the Special Education and English Language Learner cross-subsidies, ensuring our schools can afford to provide students with the tools and resources they need and deserve. We also made thousands more Pre-Kindergarten seats permanent so that districts and families will have the certainty to plan for the future of our youngest learners. |