St. Paul educators rally as pandemic-era funding for arts, after-school programs dries up
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Public school teachers in St. Paul are rallying as pandemic-era federal funding for Minnesota schools dries up.
Over the last few years, $200 billion of pandemic aid helped fill gaps in school budgets across the country. The $207 million that St. Paul Public Schools received was used to fund arts programming and expand after-school options. Minneapolis Public Schools received roughly $250 million, and used it on everything from extra social workers to extra programming.
But with the funding now gone, school districts had to make serious cuts ahead of the school year, which some teachers say will have devastating impacts.
Educators and labor leaders are calling for full funding for federal programs, and holding walk-in rallies at schools in 17 states, including Adams Immersion Elementary School in St. Paul.
"We cannot afford for funding to fall back to pre-pandemic levels. We know if school funding increases, academic outcomes improve," said Rep. Ilhan Omar.
One of the programs in jeopardy at Adams is the "What I Need Now" program, which was designed to improve student literacy. Teachers working in the program say it was a model that worked, and worry if it doesn't get funded again, they'll be back to where they started.
"This is actually working. We have evidence that we are closing those reading gaps. We have evidence that students are doing better than the social, emotional, and academic learning is increasing. So, with that evidence, we are using that to make the case for, we need to make sure that we have this funding permanently," said Becky Pringle, National Education Association President.
The district is spending $7 million to keep the WINN program operating, but says it's made cuts elsewhere in order to do so, meaning many students will still lose access to what they call critical support.
There are others who argue that one-time funding isn't appropriate to continue post pandemic.
However teachers WCCO spoke with worry students won't be able to keep up without pandemic funded programs like WINN.
Making the federal funding permanent requires congressional approval and the signature of President Joe Biden.
Two studies released in June from Harvard University and the University of Washington came to the same conclusion that the pandemic-era funding improved test scores but only moderately. Critics of the funding say the money spent did not do enough for academic recovery.
