As governor of Minnesota, with Democratic control of the legislature, Tim Walz was able to pass his education agenda, writes Erica Melzer on Chalkbeat. His priority: free breakfast and lunch for all students, not just those from lower-income families.
The one-time social studies teacher and assistant football coach is now Kamala Harris' running mate. What does it mean for education? Probably nothing. Walz seems uninterested in the subject.
His progressive policy agenda included a "$1,750 per-child annual tax credit that aimed to reduce childhood poverty," she writes. For families earning less than $80,000 a year, Minnesota now funds "last-dollar scholarships that close gaps between students’ financial aid packages and the actual cost of attendance."
Walz increased education funding by $2.2 billion, but new state mandates are eating up half the money, reports Beth Hawkins on The 74. "District leaders statewide are scrambling to explain to their communities that, in fact, they are facing massive cuts." Enrollment is declining. "In many places, balancing the budget will mean layoffs or school closures."
There are "as many as 65 new mandates, ranging from free meals for all students to menstrual products in school restrooms," she writes. The bill has added costly benefits for seasonal workers -- such as unemployment insurance for substitutes.
School districts must divert some of the “new” money to make up shortfalls in other funding, such as "$750 million just to fill the special education funding gap," writes Hawkins.
Reading and math scores are down, probably due to long school closures during the pandemic, and Minnesota’s national education ranking has slid to #19, according to a new report by the Casey Foundation. (The state ranked #7 in 2021.)
Does Walz have ideas on how to improve student achievement? Any thought not endorsed by organized labor?
By the way, I was disturbed by a video of Walz on MSNBC saying, "There's no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech, and especially around our democracy."
He taught social studies, but he's never heard of the First Amendment?
Walz also told the Wall Street Journal in a recent interview that "one person's socialism is another person's neighborliness."
Again, he taught social studies? Is he just not very bright?
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