STMA School District Day at the Capitol Focuses on School Funding

On Wednesday, April 3, a group of parents, school board members, city officials and superintendent from the St. Michael-Albertville School District traveled to the Minnesota State Capitol to meet with area legislators. Schools for Equity in Education (SEE) hosted the day at the capital the attendees.  

"The group asked legislators to fund schools fairly for all students no matter the zip code," wrote the Schools for Equity in Education organization in a press release, stating the "emphasis was on making school levies more affordable in low property wealth districts."

The group met with area Senator Mary Kiffmeyer and Representatives David FitzSimmons, Marion O’Neill and Nick Zerwas.  

Legislators were urged by the group to "support several bills that would lower the school levy cost for taxpayers in SEE school districts," according to the press release. Legislators were also urged "to provide inflationary increases to basic school funding, reduce the unfunded cost of providing special education services, and increase funding for schools that are disproportionately low in revenue per pupil," wrote the Schools for Equity in Education organization in a press release.

SEE is an association of 62 Minnesota School Districts that represents nearly 250,000 students including those in St. Michael-Albertville schools and advocates for equity and adequacy in K-12 education funding and policy.  

Related content

• Schools for Equity in Education video (SEE website)

• Why Do STMA Schools Receive Less Funding and Taxpayers Pay More and What Can We Do? (STMA Schools website)

• 2013 STMA School District Legislative Platform (STMA Schools website)