Quantcast

St. Paul Reporter

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Rep. Ben Bakeberg criticizes Democrats after bipartisan deal on education finance falls apart

Webp 7h19blzk0qethi3cdtyl7a67xvh5

Ben Bakeberg, Minnesota State Representative from 54B District | https://www.facebook.com

Ben Bakeberg, Minnesota State Representative from 54B District | https://www.facebook.com

On April 23, lawmakers in Minnesota reached a bipartisan agreement on HF 2433, an education finance bill that addressed issues such as local control, funding flexibility, and mandate relief. These were cited as primary concerns by educators across the state.

Rep. Ben Bakeberg commented on the process: “This bill wasn’t perfect, but it prioritized students over bureaucracy and represented a responsible, negotiated compromise,” said Rep. Ben Bakeberg. “Democrats agreed to it. Then they walked away.”

HF 2433 included several provisions such as redirecting over $150 million in aid for schools and allocating $40 million to support the Science of Reading through the READ Act. The bill did not provide new funding for state education bureaucracy and set a sunset date of 2028 for the unemployment insurance mandate. It also eliminated funding for legislatively named nonprofits and rejected the Governor’s proposed $680 million in education cuts.

MORE NEWS