GOP lawmakers push local control, warn governor's proposed K-12 cuts will hit special education and teacher pay

Republican lawmakers including Rep. Peggy Bennett, Rep. Ben Baker and Rep. Patricia Mueller criticized Gov. Tim Walz's proposed education budget targets and outlined a package of mandate-relief and funding-flexibility bills they said would protect schools and teachers.

The lawmakers said the governor's proposal would cut roughly a quarter-billion dollars from K‑12 programs and that districts are facing rapidly growing costs — especially special education — after a recent wave of mandates. They proposed delaying or allowing local school boards to waive mandates, expanding the ability of districts to transfer funds between accounts and prioritizing core academics.

An opening presenter said, "this self proclaimed education governor has proposed the largest cuts that I've seen of any of the governors I've worked with in my time down here," and accused the governor of asking for "250,000,000 in cuts to funding for our schools and children, while continuing to fund the priorities of the education department." That presenter also alleged the plan included "cuts to teachers pay and professional development, cuts to schools and education programs, cuts to services for children with special needs, denying textbook for school aged children, and more money for state bureaucrats…