Dear Educators, Thank you to each of you who took the time to respond to my recent education survey. I know your time is limited and your plates are full, and I am grateful you chose to share your experiences and concerns with me. That shows just how much you care about your students and the future of our schools. On Monday last week, I brought the survey results to the Bemidji ISD 31 School Board so they could hear directly from the teachers who are in the classroom every day. Here’s what you told me and what I presented to the board: The Biggest Challenges in the Classroom The most common concerns were student behavior, large class sizes, workload, and the struggle to meet diverse student needs with limited resources. Many of you shared that disruptive behavior is rising and that it hurts students who are there ready to learn. You also warned that too much bureaucratic paperwork is pulling you away from teaching. Addressing Student Needs The results showed that students need stronger mental health support, consistent discipline, higher expectations, and more opportunities for individual attention. Smaller class sizes would go a long way in making this possible. I also believe it would help students who are struggling socially and academically from the disruptions of recent years. Supporting Teacher Retention and Morale Many of you stressed that you want to stay in this profession but feel exhausted and undervalued. The need for better pay, stronger benefits, a fair pension system, and respect for the work you do came up again and again. While we made progress on pensions this past session, the work is still ongoing to get you the retirement you’ve earned. I’m committed to joining my colleagues in delivering real, consequential results that reflect your commitment and sacrifice. You also made it clear that teachers need support in maintaining order and expectations in the classroom. My colleagues on the education committee put forth legislation to address this concern in the prior legislative session, but we were ultimately stalled before we reached the finish line. I will make it clear that this is important to our districts and will do whatever I can to make it happen. School Safety School safety is rightfully top of mind for Minnesotans. Many of you voiced to me that keeping students and staff safe is a major concern. Educators repeatedly expressed the importance of School Resource Officers, consistent standards for discipline, and mental health intervention. I think we all can agree that we can't keep acting retroactively and need to put safeguards in place that prevent both tragedies and everyday bad behavior from happening. This is an area we are more than prepared to move on in the coming legislative session. If we really want to improve school safety, it is essential we address the cause at the root by improving mental health support systems, providing funding flexibility for schools to enhance their security, and reinstating SROs for every district that requests them. What Comes Next At the end of the day, my job is to take what you have shared and fight for the tools and support you need to serve students well. That means continuing to pursue responsible and realistic policies that help local schools, strengthen our classrooms, and ensure your expertise is taken seriously. After all, it seems obvious that the educators who walk the halls of our schools and teach in the classrooms would know more about what they need, what works, and what does not than legislators in St. Paul. None of this can be accomplished alone, and moving forward it will take continued partnership, honest feedback, and a willingness to work together to improve outcomes for students and staff. Please continue to reach out, share concerns, and tell me how things are going in your school. Keep an eye out for additional survey opportunities in the months ahead and continue making your voice heard. I serve in St. Paul to support you and to make sure the voices of our communities are represented. Thank you again for everything you do for our students and for Minnesota’s future. Sincerely, Rep. Bidal Duran Minnesota House of Representatives, District 2A |