Dear Neighbors,
Education was the theme for me this week!. Here is what I’ve been working on.
1. Space for Mental Health in Schools - Helping Students Thrive
- Tuesday was one of the highlights of my first term!
- Blaine residents and father-daughter duo Bryan and Brielle joined me in the Education Policy Committee to present a bill we worked on together to make sure high school students have access to space at school to meet with mental health professionals by video conference or phone.
- You can watch my presentation and their testimony here.
2. Providing Funding for Minnesota Schools and Student Teachers - Supporting Students and Educators
- In the same hearing I presented my bipartisan bill to provide stipends to pay student teachers.
- Student teachers are a critical part of our education system and we should pay them fairly for their labor. It can often be a barrier for prospective teachers to work for an extended period without pay.
- You can watch impactful testimony from affected teachers here.
- Later in the week, I presented a bill that would provide more state aid for public schools and increase state funding fairness for school districts with lower property tax bases.
- Centennial Superintendent Jeff Holmberg testified in support of this bill that will help Minnesota students succeed, no matter what type of community they live in.
3. Guest Lecture at Carlson School - Developing the Next Generation of Problem Solvers
- This week I also had the opportunity to return to my alma mater, the Carlson School of Management, as a guest lecturer!
- I spoke to an Impact Lab Problem Solving course about how the political environment can impact decision making when solving problems.
- It was fun to take a walk down memory lane while also hoping to inspire a new generation of problem solvers who will lead our state.
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.matt.norris@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-2907. If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here, and follow my Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent our community. Please stay in touch!
Sincerely,
Matt Norris, District 32B
507 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155