Burnsville legislative committee reviews Dakota County priorities and readies March 10 'Day on the Hill' participation

Dr. Battle, reporting to the Burnsville Public School District legislative committee, summarized Dakota County's shared legislative priorities and urged continued district participation in county-level coordination after attending the Dakota County legislative breakfast on Jan. 31, 2025.

Dr. Battle said the Dakota County session brought together city officials, district leaders and legislators and resulted in a countywide list of priorities. Key items Dr. Battle identified included requests to reduce or close subsidies for special education and multilingual learner programs, changes to unemployment insurance and paid-leave programs, increases in per-pupil funding, additional long-term facilities funding and expanded access to voluntary prekindergarten. The county platform also asked for clearer requirements around data submissions and a review of compensatory eligibility identification processes. "It was a really good session, well organized. So I suggest that we continue to be a part of it," Dr. Battle said.

Committee members asked logistical questions and discussed ways to bring community members to the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) Day on the Hill on March 10. Committee members noted that MSBA will schedule meetings with local legislators; the district expects constituent meetings to be scheduled roughly in the noon–3 p.m. block. The board discussed creating a sign-up (for example, a Google form) so community members can indicate interest and the district can estimate group sizes. Dr. Battle and other committee members said staff will coordinate registration and outreach: Sarah will send the registration link and Aaron will be asked to help promote and coordinate with MSBA.

Members also discussed practical limits at the Capitol, including small meeting spaces and the possibility that only a limited number (members suggested groups as large as 15 are sometimes seen) may fit inside a legislator's office or cubicle. Committee members agreed they would plan a meet-up location at the Capitol so community members who cannot enter a legislator's office can still be present in the rotunda or hallways when meetings occur.

Dr. Battle described the Dakota County format: district superintendents and elected officials sat with legislators and reviewed individual district platforms alongside a shared county platform. She said the shared platform made it easier to identify overlapping priorities across area districts and cities (Farmington; Hastings; West St. Paul; Inver Grove Heights; Lakeville; South St. Paul; Apple Valley; Eagan; Rosemount; Prior Lake; Shakopee; Jordan; and intermediate unit 917 were cited as part of the region represented at county tables).

No formal motions or votes were recorded on the legislative agenda item. The committee agreed to publicize the MSBA Day on the Hill registration to district stakeholders and to coordinate logistics as more information from MSBA becomes available. The committee adjourned at 6:21 p.m.