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Neighbors,
It’s already back to school season. Students and families have faced significant educational challenges recently, and this session we worked hard to secure the largest investment in public schools in 15 years. Every child deserves a quality education and the resources they need to catch up and succeed, especially after all the disruptions from COVID-19 during the last 18 months. Our budget prioritized students by securing:
- More investments in students both in 2022 and in 2023
- The preservation of voluntary Pre-K for over 4,000 students statewide
- Historic investments to increase teachers of color and American Indian teachers in our classrooms.
- Public dollars in public classrooms.
You can learn more about the specific investments we made in our students and families here.
 Tax Benefits on School Supplies
Save receipts from your child’s school supply purchases. You can claim many of these supplies, including distance learning needs, on your 2021 Minnesota tax return. Read more about the K-12 Education Credit or Subtraction here. Some qualifying expenses include:
- Paper and notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Rental or purchases of educational equipment, including musical instruments
- Computer hardware (including hotspots, modems, and routers) and educational software (up to $200 for the subtraction and $200 for the credit)
- After-school tutoring and educational summer camps taught by a qualified instructor
Masks in Schools
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Minnesota Department of Health, the Minnesota Medical Association, the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians have all endorsed universal face covering in schools and strongly encourage this policy. Many local school districts have adopted this policy to better protect the health of their students, faculty, and staff. This fall, be safe - mask up!
Vaccines
Following the FDA’s authorization in May, students 12-to-15-year-olds can now be vaccinated with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines have been proven to be effective, safe, and the best way to protect ourselves and others. Slowing the spread through vaccination is especially important to children under the age of 12 who aren’t yet eligible for a shot and those with compromised immune systems. Find a nearby location to get your shot here. Through the end of the State Fair, you can get your shots there.
Help Me Connect
A reminder that ‘Help Me Connect’ is a new website to help pregnant and parenting families with young children connect to services in their local communities. Visit Help Me Connect to find resources near you! https://helpmeconnect.web.health.state.mn.us/HelpMeConnect/
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Stay connected with the legislature
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Laurie Pryor
State Representative
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