EdAllies

06/22/2026

The 2026 Minnesota legislative session is over and the results are mixed. A few meaningful wins for students, some important defensive battles, and a long list of urgent priorities that didn't make it across the finish line.

Senior Policy Director Matt Shaver breaks it all down in our new end-of-session blog: what passed, what we protected, and what's waiting for 2027. Check it out at https://edalliesmn.org/blog/holding-the-line-for-students-in-a-high-stakes-session/

06/22/2026

TONIGHT!

You’re invited to EdAllies’ For the Love of Reading Book Club Parent Appreciation Night on June 22! We will celebrate a fantastic start to the year with a reading of Mercedes Yarlborough’s newest comic Black to the Future 3, ice cream, face painting, and a special appearance by Rondo Double Dutch!

Save your seat today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982531866180?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/18/2026

There’s a quiet attack on BIPOC youth in Minnesota’s classrooms, and EdVoices cohort member Satara had a front row seat for eight years.

Through her research and direct experience, Satara advocates for creating policies and solutions that address the root causes of absenteeism and low academic outcomes—referrals and other exclusionary discipline practices.

Read the new blog at https://edalliesmn.org/blog/the-quiet-pushout-how-discipline-disparities-are-failing-minnesotas-bipoc-students/

06/18/2026

You’re invited to EdAllies’ For the Love of Reading Book Club Parent Appreciation Night on June 22! We will celebrate a fantastic start to the year with a reading of Mercedes Yarlborough’s newest comic Black to the Future 3, ice cream, face painting, and a special appearance by Rondo Double Dutch!

Save your seat today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982531866180?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/12/2026

EdAllies has long advocated for expanded access to rigorous coursework, and in 2025 we achieved a win on automatic enrollment: districts who adopt an automatic enrollment policy are now eligible for raised academic achievement grants. This year, those grants will start to be implemented. We want to recognize Rep. Matt Norris for his work over the years to get this policy—which has a track record of increasing access to rigorous coursework, particularly for students of color—and grants passed and implemented.

06/11/2026

Minnesota is facing a shortage of teachers, specifically those who reflect the diversity of the students in our classrooms. In 2026, Senator Jim Abeler continued his leadership in attempting to streamline the licensure process and get more passionate educators in the classroom. We thank him for his support and look forward to continuing working to getting more dedicated teachers in schools.

Listen to a Feb. 2026 hearing on teacher licensure: https://www.lrl.mn.gov/media/file?body=s&cid=3120&date=02/18/2026

06/11/2026

Minnesota has made evidence-based literacy instruction a top priority for the past several years, and despite there being no education omnibus bill in the House—alongside a Senate education policy omnibus that never made it to a floor vote—the work kept moving in 2026.

This year, advocates were pushing for a new requirement that teacher candidates in Minnesota complete a field experience in literacy instruction that’s improved and better aligned to the Read Act before completing teacher prep. In the last hours of session, when many thought education work was done for the year, a bill came together to pass this requirement into law.

We want to thank Clardy for House of Representatives SD 53 A for her dedication and leadership on this issue and continuing to work towards better literacy outcomes for Minnesota students!

Listen to a previous hearing on early literacy at https://www.house.mn.gov/hjvid/94/899843

06/10/2026

Minnesota's funding structure needs work to make it more equitably serve students. we want to extend our gratitude to Rep. Sandra Feist for her dedicated work to better count and fund students in poverty.



Watch an earlier discussion on compensatory revenue here: https://www.house.mn.gov/hjvid/94/899226

06/10/2026

Due to impending weather , we are postponing our event . Save the new date of June 22nd, same place same time! See you then

You’re invited to EdAllies’ For the Love of Reading Book Club Parent Appreciation Night! We will celebrate a fantastic start to the year with a reading of Mercedes Yarlborough’s newest comic Black to the Future 3, ice cream, face painting, and a special appearance by Rondo Double Dutch!

Save your seat today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982531866180?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/08/2026

Seeking to expand on the promising early outcomes of this collaboration between the Office of Higher Education and high schools to ensure all Minnesota students know before they graduate which of the more than 50 Minnesota-based postsecondary institutions they are automatically accepted into, legislation to bring this voluntary program statewide was included in the initial Senate Higher Education bill.

We want to extend our gratitude to Heather Gustafson for State Senate for being a champion of this program and are committed to continue to work until Direct Admissions is available statewide.



Watch the debate on Direct Admissions in the Senate Higher Education Committee: https://www.lrl.mn.gov/media/file?body=s&cid=3124&date=03/12/2026