To the editor:
The guiding principle for the Minnesota House Education Finance Committee this year was simple: Kids first, no exceptions, no excuses.
And if we're going to put kids first, we have to recognize that every student should be treated fairly by our funding system no matter where they live. For too many years, education leaders have not supported this basic fact of education. Those years are over.
This year, the Minnesota House passed an education funding bill that puts new money into the basic per-student formula, meaning it benefits every student equally. This is a sea change from recent years when money?went into formulas specially designed to benefit some districts more than others.
Unfortunately for rural Minnesota, those districts were?confined to the cities. But with a new crop of education leaders, rural Minnesota finally has the voices it needs for fair, equitable education funding.
One of those voices calling for reforms in public education belongs to State Representative Chris Swedzinski. Even though our legislative districts are far apart in terms of mileage, Representative Swedzinski?understands that the status quo is no longer acceptable.
We need to help public schools thrive. And while we have undertaken some serious reform?measures, we must always strive to do better. I know for a fact that I?can count on Representative Swedzinski to stand with me and do what's?best for students and schools all across this state.
Pat Garofalo
State Rep., District 36B
Chair, House Education Finance Committee