AMSD Day at the Minnesota Capitol

The Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) hosts this annual event to ensure school district leaders from across the metro have their voices heard on education issues that matter most to our community. Superintendent Unowsky and Board Director Brakke both testified before the House Education Finance Committee on the RPS legislative platform, which includes:

Stabilize Education Funding

• Fully fund special education and English learner programs to eliminate the shortfalls in these areas.*
• Increase the basic funding formula and local optional revenue by 2-5% and link to inflation to provide a consistent funding stream that allows school boards and administrators to engage in long-range planning.*
• Institute universal free meals while ensuring that both state and federal funding streams related to student poverty are not negatively impacted.**
• Allow locally-elected school boards to renew an existing operating referendum at the same level.*
• Make funding for voluntary prekindergarten programs permanent.*

Diversity Staff Workforce and Promote Equitable Outcomes

• Remove barriers and provide incentives to address the shortage of substitute teachers, school bus drivers, paraprofessionals and other staff.*
• Continue to expand programs and incentives to attract, develop and retain teachers of color.*
• Create a state plan for K-12 computer science education that is grounded in equity and inclusion.

Reduce Mandates and Enhance Local Control

• Fund existing mandates and oppose new unfunded mandates.**
• Replace the high school MCA exams with a nationally recognized college entrance exam.***
• Change open meeting law to allow for hybrid board meetings as an option.

They also joined Assistant Superintendent Daniels to visit with Senator Alice Mann (RHS class of '99) who serves on the Education Policy Committee and Representative Michael Howard (an RPS parent)

* Aligned to both the AMSD and MASA Legislative Platforms
** Aligned to the MASA Legislative Platform
*** Aligned to the AMSD Legislative Platform