Walz Talks Education Funding At Vista View Elementary

BURNSVILLE, MN — Gov. Tim Walz promoted his administration's budget agreement, which includes $1.2 billion in education funding, with a stop at Vista View Elementary School in Burnsville on Wednesday.

The stop was part of Lenz's statewide tour meant to "celebrate the historic investments in education included in Minnesota's COVID-19 Recovery Budget," a news release said.

That budget included roughly $200 million to help the state with its summer learning programs, Walz said during his stop in Burnsville.

Among the uses of that funding, Walz said, was the ability for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district to provide transportation to and from its schools in the summer.

"I do think it's important for Minnesotans to see, as we're recovering from COVID and this new normal, if you will, comes forward is – nobody's resting on their laurels," Walz said. "Nobody is missing the opportunity to enhance educational opportunities (and) get our children back."

Walz said one thing he was looking forward to post-COVID was "crowded classrooms with smiling children that are learning," and thanked the school's staff for making that happen.

In particular, Walz thanked the Burnsville school board, noting that the group had to make decisions that had never been previously asked of school boards – "life-or-death decisions, in some cases," he said.

Walz ended his speech by noting the resiliency of the kindergartners he spent time with in Burnsville.

"I think this is going to be one of the most resilient generations we've ever seen," Walz said. "What they can do with this and what we can do by giving them the tools necessary is going to be great – not just for Minnesota, but for our country."