Saint Paul, MN- On March 27th, Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL–New Hope) introduced the Integration Resolution Bill (HF 2899), a bold new vision for ensuring every Minnesota student has access to an equitable, integrated, and well-resourced public education.
The Integration Resolution Bill directly confronts Minnesota’s entrenched school segregation—both racial and economic.
It lays out a bold strategy to build inclusive, opportunity-rich learning environments that can improve academic outcomes for students from People of Color, Indigenous (POCI) communities while benefiting every student in our multiracial democracy.
“As the chief author of the Integration Resolution Bill, I stand firmly behind Minnesota's moral and constitutional obligation to deliver equitable education to all our children,” affirmed Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope).”This legislation is not merely an incremental policy adjustment—it represents a fundamental recommitment to the promise of integrated, high-quality public education in our state. By directly confronting the persistent racial and economic segregation in our schools, we create the conditions for all students to thrive. When we bring diverse communities together in well-resourced learning environments, we don't just improve outcomes for students of color and Indigenous communities—we prepare every Minnesota child to participate meaningfully in our multiracial democracy. The path to educational excellence runs through integration, and this bill charts that course with clarity and conviction.”
HF 2899 was developed through a nine-month collaborative work group process facilitated by the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP) and its Race Equity for Accelerating Learning (REAL) Network—a statewide group of education leaders, race equity advocates, legal experts, practitioners, and POCI community members.
MnEEP brought a critical race equity lens to the process, ensuring the bill not only responds to Minnesota’s legal and constitutional obligations, but also centers the lived experiences and priorities of the students and communities most impacted by segregation and systemic underinvestment.
“HF 2899 represents a bold, new template for rebuilding our educational system in Minnesota to be more integrated, inclusive, and adequately funded,” said Leiataua Dr. Jon Peterson, Senior Fellow and Director of Policy at MnEEP. "A world-class education for each and every student is what this bill is aiming toward, and we plan to keep our collective eyes on that prize.”
Under Article XIII, Section 1 of the Minnesota Constitution, the state is required to provide a “general and uniform system of public schools.”
In its 2023 ruling in Cruz-Guzman v. State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Supreme Court reaffirmed that education is a fundamental right under the state constitution. The Court held that if racial segregation is shown to be a substantial factor in producing inadequate educational outcomes, it may constitute a violation of the state’s constitutional obligation—even if the segregation was not created or maintained intentionally.
Yet today, segregation and underfunding remain widespread in Minnesota’s public schools, including in some of its most racially diverse districts:
In Minneapolis Public Schools (2020–21), 23 schools enrolled more than 80% students of color, while 12 schools enrolled fewer than 40% students of color.
In Saint Paul Public Schools, 28 schools enrolled over 90% students of color, and 36 schools had student populations over 80% students of color. (Source: Minnesota Reformer, 2023)
While HF 2899 will not advance this session, Rep. Frazier and MnEEP are committed to building support for future legislative action. The coalition of partners who helped shape this bill will continue to organize, educate, and advocate for a system that ensures all Minnesota students—especially POCI students—have access to inclusive, integrated, and well-resourced public schools.
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