Sen. Steve Cwodzinski

Maddy summarySF 986 modifies Minnesota's education funding to provide charter schools with dedicated "safe schools aid." The bill adds a specific provision requiring $36 per adjusted pupil unit in safe schools aid for charter schools, calculated based on student enrollment. This aid must be reserved exclusively for funding safety-related purposes as defined in state law (section 126C.44, subdivision 4). The change directly affects charter schools by expanding their eligible funding sources beyond general education revenue to include this targeted safety allocation.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5.3 million from state bond proceeds to fund the demolition and reconstruction of Minnetonka's Fire Station #2 in the city's northeast quadrant. The funds cover new construction, equipment, and specific upgrades needed for 24-hour operations - including housing, decontamination, gear storage, and training space. The state will issue bonds up to $5.3 million to cover this cost, following standard bond procedures under Minnesota law. The project directly affects the city of Minnetonka and its fire department operations. The bill is currently in early legislative stages, having been introduced on February 17, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 3571) corrects outdated wording in Minnesota school district referendum ballot language. It removes an obsolete reference to "referendum by petition" from the standard ballot question used when school districts seek voter approval for property tax increases. The change affects school districts and voters during referendums on funding levies, ensuring ballot language matches current procedures. The bill does not alter voting rules, tax amounts, or school funding mechanisms - only updates the phrasing on ballots to reflect modern process.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1.8 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund the ParentChild+ program, administered by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. It directly supports early childhood literacy and school readiness services for children aged 16 months to four years through evidence-based programming. The funding must be used at existing program locations (including Cass, Hennepin, and Rice Counties, plus Rochester and St. Cloud) or expanded to new rural, suburban, or urban sites. The program is designed to continue operating at a base annual level of $1.8 million starting in fiscal year 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $1.75 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2027 for matching grants to public television stations, $350,000 for equipment grants, and $1 million for block grants. The commissioner of administration must consider recommendations from the Minnesota Public Television Association when distributing these funds. The grants directly support public television stations across Minnesota under existing law (Minnesota Statutes, section 129D.13).

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment allowing Minnesota school districts to permit 16-year-olds to vote in school board and school-related elections. If approved by voters, it would amend Article VII, Section 1 of the state constitution to explicitly permit school districts to lower the voting age to 16 for their elections, while keeping the standard 18-year-old voting age for all state and federal elections. School districts would need to adopt a resolution to implement this, and 16-17 year olds would only be eligible to vote on school-specific issues, not statewide or national ballots. The bill also updates voter registration forms to include a certification statement for 16-year-old school election voters.

Maddy summarySF 1311 requires charter schools and their authorizers (the organizations that oversee them) to publish specific financial details online. The bill mandates that charter schools submit annual budgets to the state commissioner and post school budgets on their public websites, aligning with existing rules for traditional public schools. It also requires both charter schools and authorizers to publish their annual state and federal tax filings on their public websites. These requirements aim to increase financial transparency for parents, students, and the public regarding how charter school funds are managed.

Maddy summarySF 5 amends Minnesota's school attendance policy to expand valid reasons for excused absences. It specifically adds telehealth appointments, ongoing mental health treatment, and military family emergencies as approved reasons for students to miss school. This change directly affects students, families, and school districts by broadening existing exemption rules beyond physical health appointments. The bill is part of a larger omnibus education funding and policy package, but this provision focuses on updating attendance eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends multiple education statutes to update K-12 academic standards and credit requirements. It requires the state commissioner to seek input from seven stakeholder groups - including teachers, parents, tribal representatives, and students - when developing statewide academic standards for subjects like math, science, and social studies. The bill creates new credit equivalencies, allowing agricultural education credits to count toward social studies or science requirements, CTE credits to fulfill math or arts requirements, and ethnic studies courses to satisfy multiple subject credits if meeting state standards. It also removes certification barriers for agricultural and health educators to meet these credit flexibility rules. The changes directly affect Minnesota public schools, students, and educators in implementing graduation requirements and curriculum.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 49 formally honors Linda Wallenberg, a teacher from Eden Prairie, for being named Minnesota's 2025 Teacher of the Year. This resolution recognizes her nearly 50 years of service, including her work as a certified Swedish teacher and her achievements as a gymnastics coach. The bill directs the Secretary of the Senate to create an official copy of the resolution and send it to Wallenberg as a gesture of appreciation for her contributions to education.