Building a Fair & Equitable Funding System

In 2025

MREA Successfully Advocated for Greater Minnesota Students Through:

• Preserving the current law inflationary factor for the basic education allowance by defeating a Senate proposal to repeal this statute.
• Acquiring school board authority to levy “above the line” for major roof repair and replacement costs as part of the LTFM program.
• Improving TRA so educators can access retirement benefits at age 60 with 30 years of service.
• Securing a one-time funding infusion of $55 million to backfill Compensatory Aid falloff with the state moving to Direct Certification.
• Securing state funding for two more years of estimated state mandated summer Unemployment Insurance costs.
• Making the short call substitute licensure flexibility pilot program permanent law, allowing schools to use current paraprofessionals with at least one year of service to the district or persons with an Associates Degree and eliminating the state mandated $200 daily rate of pay.
• Preserving QComp funding as we seek to expand the program statewide.
• Allowing schools to start on or after Sept. 1 for the 26-27 and 28-29 school years.
• Flexibility for Cooperatives to use $5,000 of Student Support Personnel Aid to cover associated staff costs including job-embedded coaching and travel.

MREA Priorities In Development for 2026 Supplemental Budget Session

ADVANCING SEASONAL RECREATIONAL TAX BASE REPLACEMENT AID: HF 1161/SF 1997

Create state funding to reduce local property taxpayer costs of an operating referendum through state reimbursement of Seasonal & Recreational tax base value.

ADVANCING LOCAL OPTIONAL REVENUE: HF 1989/SF 2239

Increase from $724/pupil to $974/pupil, equalized levy, and link LOR to the formula effective in FY28 and beyond.