EdAllies’ Statement on Veto of HF140

May 18, 2017

Below is a statement from EdAllies Executive Director Daniel Sellers, in response to Gov. Dayton’s veto of HF140, a bipartisan, comprehensive bill to overhaul Minnesota’s broken teacher licensure system:

“Although disappointed by Gov. Dayton’s veto today, I am encouraged by the urgency he conveyed in his veto letter—and which we, and countless educators, share: We simply must overhaul our broken teacher licensure system, and we must do it now. Our students and schools, and the aspiring Minnesota educators who wish to serve them, cannot afford to wait another year.

“These changes have been years in the making. We need Gov. Dayton and the Legislature to work together and find a compromise that will give our teacher licensure system the meaningful overhaul it needs. HF140 would have removed barriers for experienced out-of-state educators and clarified standards for educators not coming from traditional teacher preparation programs. That is the bottom line that we need to see in a final agreement.

“With our state’s growing educator shortages and stagnant educator diversity, and countless passionate and high-quality educators waiting on the sideline for their chance to teach in Minnesota schools, this agreement cannot come soon enough.”

For more information or an interview with Daniel Sellers, contact EdAllies Strategic Communications Director Ariana Kiener: 612-666-3066 or akiener@edalliesmn.org

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About EdAllies: EdAllies partners with schools, families, and communities to ensure that every young Minnesotan has access to a rigorous and engaging education. We advance policies that put underserved students first, remove barriers facing successful schools and programs, and foster an inclusive conversation about what’s possible for students.