Students tell Senate education panel career programs expand opportunity, urge more equitable funding

Four Minnesota high-school students gave short testimony during the Senate Education Policy Committee’s March 25 markup, urging expanded career and technical education, internship and student-organization supports, and more equitable funding for Minnesota schools.

A 12th grader from Minnetonka High School described two years in the Vantage career program studying international relations and public policy, said the program provided mentorship and real-world experience, and urged more equitable funding across the state. 'Education is a human right and should be accessible to all,' the student told the committee, and cited a statistic that '60 districts are currently being underfunded.'

A senior from Eden Prairie High School described a capstone course and a senior-intern program that connect students to businesses; she said those hands-on opportunities helped her decide to study marketing and applied work at the University of South Florida this fall.

A student from Kennedy High School emphasized the importance of staff who prioritize students' mental health and described a schoolwide blood-drive volunteer effort involving more than 70 students and staff.

A statewide officer of a career-and-technical student organization (TSA) told senators that some districts restrict establishment of chapters and that those barriers create a 'gate-keeping effect' that blocks students from career networks. The officer asked the committee to move toward standardizing support so these pathways are widely available rather than treated as extracurricular options for only some students.

Testimony provided numbers and context often cited in committee discussion: a student witness cited a 93% parent survey of positive Vantage impacts and testimony referenced an estimated 900,000 K–12 students in Minnesota. Committee members thanked the student witnesses and said their testimony informed several amendments approved that day, including the student-representation amendment and measures intended to protect student supports and safety.

The committee’s record shows the students’ testimony occurred early in the hearing before the committee began adopting amendments to the omnibus bill.