Legislative Priorities

Students are the future of our society

St. Louis Park Public Schools is excited to share key priorities such as funding, student well-being, academic initiatives, and legislative changes that impact public education.

We know that our relationship with local elected officials is essential to ensure shared understanding of our needs and challenges firsthand. These connections strengthens our ability to influence student outcomes that align with our commitment to equity, inclusion, and academic rigor.

We plan to engage in open dialogue, while reinforcing a shared responsibility for student success.

120A.40 Changes to School Calendar

Change the restrictions to allow districts to commence a elementary and secondary school year before Labor Day.

• Allow for Flexibility - An earlier start would provide a buffer for teacher professional development, recognition of religious holidays, and reduce school year extension due to weather related closures.
• Maximizing Instructional Time Before Testing – Starting school earlier allows students to receive more instructional days before standardized tests, ensuring better preparation and improved academic outcomes.
• Enhancing Student Well-being and Learning Retention – A shorter summer break can help reduce summer learning loss, particularly for younger students and those in vulnerable populations, contributing to stronger long-term academic success.

120B.12 and 120B.124 Read Act and Implementation Partnership

Provide additional funding for teacher training and curriculum to ensure a successful implementation of the Read Act.

Provide more options for state approved curriculum including Collaborative Literacy.

• Improved Assessment & Data-Driven Instruction – Schools could implement more effective literacy assessments and data tools, enabling teachers to track student progress and tailor instruction to individual learning needs.
• Stronger Teacher Training & Professional Development – Additional funding would ensure educators receive high-quality training on evidence-based literacy instruction, equipping them with the skills and resources to effectively teach reading.
• Opportunities for Reimbursement - Under the current statute, CAREI is required to identify at least five literacy curricula and supporting materials that are evidence-based and focused on structured literacy. Literacy curriculum identified by other highly credible evaluators, like the Reading League, should also be considered for identification of state approved literacy curricula.

120B.021, 120B.024, 120B.11, 124D.861 Social Studies Standard and Ethnic Studies

Keep Minnesota Social Standards and Ethnic studies as defined in section 120B.25. These standards provide students with:

• Critical Thinking & Inquiry Skills – Students learn to analyze sources, evaluate evidence, and form reasoned conclusions about historical and contemporary issues.
• Addressing Historical Gaps & Bias – Traditional curricula often center dominant narratives; ethnic studies fill gaps by highlighting historically marginalized voices and perspectives.
• Preparing for a Diverse Workforce & Society – In a multicultural world, ethnic studies equip students with the skills to work and collaborate across differences, making them more effective in professional and community settings.

120B. 30 Subd. 16 and 120B.31 MCA Testing Requirements for High School Students

Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.31, subdivision 4a, requires students to participate in the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). The MCAs are standardized tests that measure student achievement in reading, math and science. Replace the high school MCA exams with a nationally recognized college entrance exam by the end of their junior year. Though this is not currently a high school graduation requirement, students are encouraged to participate in a nationally recognized college entrance exam. This would create more equitable opportunities for all students to have completed a college entrance exam by the time they apply to postsecondary during and after their senior year. 

205A.07 City General Election

Allow for the date of a school district primary to be held in odd-numbered year.

• Maintains Stability in School Governance – Off-cycle elections allow for a more stable transition in leadership, as new school board members are not elected during politically charged election cycles that may encourage abrupt shifts in policy due to national political trends.
• Reduces Political Polarization – School board elections held separately from major federal and state elections may be less influenced by national political trends, reducing the risk of partisan politics dominating what should be nonpartisan, education-focused discussions.
• Ensures Candidates Are Committed to Education Issues – When school board elections stand alone, they tend to attract candidates who are genuinely dedicated to education rather than those using the position as a stepping stone for higher political office.

Additional Legislative Opportunities

• Permit districts to publish school board budget and mandatory information on websites instead of newspapers, modernizing communications and reducing costs.
• Broaden the definition of hours of instruction to allow students to earn credit for learning wherever it occurs.
• Create a legislative working group to study existing barriers to student-centered learning and craft recommendations for improvement.
• Provide flexibility for school districts to use food service funds on kitchen construction renovations or to transfer a portion of fund balances to the General Fund to cover costs incurred in school cafeterias.
• Support districts in recovering costs associated with data requests, ensuring these expenses do not detract from educational priorities.