March 14, 2025

Jan 285 min read

Updated: Mar 11

It is hard to believe that we are exactly two weeks away from our Spring Break and the end of the third quarter. As the days continue to get brighter and warmer, our focus is beginning to shift toward next year. The district’s hiring rounds are in full swing, and the 3rd (public) round of hiring will open when we return from Spring Break.

Our negotiators have been able to visit every site as we prepare for this summer’s negotiations. A sincere thank you goes out to all the members who were able to attend a session in the last couple of weeks. If you were unable to attend, or if you have additional contract suggestions, our negotiations survey remains open until March 28!

In solidarity,

Charles Cooper

Link to previous EPEA Newsletters

Link to EPEA Staff and Leaders

Notice of Assignment

The school district will provide all teachers a notice of tentative assignments prior to June 1. This assignment may be modified by the district when “necessary for the operation of the school district.” This assignment will be in alignment with your individual FTE for the following school year. Classes, subjects, and sites may shift prior to the beginning of the school year, but the district may not unilaterally alter the FTE for teachers on continuing contract without instigating procedures associated with unrequested leave. Each site should be currently aware of sections for the next school year, and scheduling should be proceeding over the next several weeks.

Link to EPEA Contract

Guidance from Your Member Rights Advocate

If you are in need of support at an administration meeting, believe there is a contract violation, or have a performance/conduct-related support request, please connect with Carla Thompson

(Lead MRA) cthompson@edenpr.org or 952-240-6577

Member Benefits:

Built In Benefits With Membership

ESI PerksConnect - discounts to area activities and restaurants
- NEA Discount Marketplace - discount tickets and travel programs * NEA Mental Health Program
*. AFT Trauma counseling program

Update on Executive Orders and Actions Affecting Schools

Here is an updated Q&A from our legal department on federal activity affecting schools and educators, including a likely announcement that the administration will attempt to wind down the U.S. Department of Education.

1. What are the consequences for educators who teach concepts or work in programs or extra-curricular activities the Administration considers to be “DEI”?

On his first day in office, President Trump issued an Executive Order purporting to ban all “DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices in the federal government and threatening federal contractors with loss of funding if they have any policies or practices considered to be “DEI” by the administration. On Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter warning that K-12 and higher education institutions could be investigated and lose federal funds for having teaching DEI concepts or having programs the administration considers discriminatory because they seek to advance racial equity. On Feb. 27, the USDOE launched a portal allowing anyone to report “DEI” policies and programs within K-12 schools.

Education Minnesota has released more detailed guidance to members about the reporting portal. Generally speaking, there is no legal authority supporting the administration’s claim that the DEI practices it is targeting are, in fact, illegal. A district court also issued a nationwide injunction against the administration’s Jan. 20 order banning DEI by federal contractors, and both the NEA and AFT have filed lawsuits challenging USDOE’s “Dear Colleague” letter.

If an educator is teaching or working with students in accordance with their school or district’s curriculum, their job description and/or district policies, there is unlikely to be any basis for disciplining or holding an educator liable for practices that the USDOE considers to be DEI.

2. Is the administration still planning to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, and can it really do that?

President Trump and members of his administration have expressed a desire to eliminate the entire U.S. Department of Education. On March 3, former professional wrestling executive Linda McMahon was confirmed to lead USDOE, and a draft Executive Order obtained by several news outlets directs Secretary McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.”

Despite this announcement, the Trump administration cannot legally eliminate or wind down the USDOE without authorization from Congress since Congress created the department. The USDOE is also required by federal law to carry out critical functions that many schools, educators and students depend on, such as disbursing student loans and financial aid, providing Title I funding to high-poverty schools, funding a portion of districts’ special education costs, and investigating student civil rights violations. Bills to eliminate the USDOE have been introduced recently by Trump allies in Congress, but many of the key programs and functions USDOE performs enjoy broad bipartisan support.

3. Can the Executive Order on vouchers force Minnesota to allow them?

No. The main component of President Trump’s Jan. 29 order on vouchers states, “Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall review their respective discretionary grant programs and each submit a plan to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, that identifies, evaluates, and makes recommendations regarding using relevant discretionary grant programs to expand education freedom for America’s families and teachers.” This likely means that some discretionary federal grants -- an extremely small portion of federal education funding -- may be open to private schools that were previously ineligible. However, it does not, and cannot, require Minnesota to expend state revenue on public schools. In addition to numerous state laws, the Minnesota constitution prohibits public funding for private schools, and it also prohibits funding for religious or sectarian education.

Budget forecast: Educators and students could pay the price for federal chaos

Minnesota Management and Budget released a new budget forecast March 6, which showed inflation was increasing and it predicted a slowing economy. Thursday’s forecast showed a $456 million positive balance in the upcoming budget cycle, down $160 million from the November forecast.

Providing a high-quality education to Minnesota students is one of the state’s largest expenses, which means there will be less money available to address the shortage of educators through improved pay, pensions and health care. Education Minnesota's position is that the educators and students of Minnesota should not have to pay the price for the president's chaos. The Trump administration’s new tariffs and plans for cuts to Medicaid, the USDOE and other vital services would touch every school district, campus and community in Minnesota,