Tag: Michael Howard

ep. Michael Howard Introduces Homework Starts with Home Legislation

State Rep. Michael Howard (DFL-Richfield) introduced “Homework Starts with Home” legislation today, seeking $8 million to provide innovative solutions to help combat home instability for Minnesota students and families.

“Every student in Minnesota deserves a safe and stable place to call their home, but the reality is far too many of our students lack this basic necessity,” said Howard. “Homework Starts with Home is an innovative, community-centered initiative that acknowledges the important intersection between housing stability and student achievement. Success in the classroom for our students begins with stability for our students at home.”

Last year more than 9,500 students enrolled in Minnesota public schools across the state experienced homelessness. This is a challenge faced by communities across the state, impacting more than 1,000 schools in 77 Minnesota counties. Home instability leads to challenges for students in the classroom. Only one in four third graders facing homelessness reads at their grade level. They are 37 percent less likely to be proficient compared with their low-income but housed counterparts, and more likely to be absent from school. Continue reading “ep. Michael Howard Introduces Homework Starts with Home Legislation”

Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: February 15, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

We’re over a month into the 2019 legislative session, and things are picking up. Here’s an update of what we’ve been working on this week.

Nurses Day at the Capitol

It was the Minnesota Nurses Association “Day on the Hill” this week, with nurses from all over Minnesota coming to the State Capitol to join in the fight for a more inclusive health care system. They believe that all Minnesotans should have access to quality, affordable health care, and I’m right there with them. A special thanks to the nurses from Richfield and Bloomington who stopped by to speak with me about making sure Minnesotans receive the care they need and deserve.

Teachers of Color Bill

In Minnesota, only 4.3 percent of teachers are people of color, a percentage that pales in comparison to the 33 percent of students who are people of color. We need to do better to ensure that the diversity of our state is reflected in the workforce that is educating the next generation of Minnesotans, which is why I’m supporting the Increase Teachers of Color Act. This legislation would provide loan forgiveness and scholarships to incentivize students of color to become teachers. It would also set the goal of increasing the number of teachers of color by 2 percent every year. The achievement gap in Minnesota is one of the biggest hurdles we face, but this bill would put us on the right path towards closing that gap. Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: February 15, 2019”

Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: February 7, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

What happened to our 40 degree weekend? Things are slow-moving on the roads, but not so much in the Minnesota House. There are several pieces of legislation and updates from this week that I’d like to share with you.

First bill passed – and it’s a good one 

Minnesota cannot build a more equitable future for all unless we learn lessons from our history and be purposeful in eliminating systemic racism. That is the purpose behind HF 51, the first bill we passed off the House floor this week.

HF 51 seeks to address the racial disparities that have long existed in the housing history of our state. If signed into law, it would allow homeowners to formally denounce restrictive covenants on their home titles. Restrictive covenants were used in the past to prevent minority communities from moving into residential neighborhoods. They are now unconstitutional, but the racist language remains in the abstract of many titles. The bill would allow homeowners to attach a formal document to their home title repudiating this racist language and practice. I’m happy to say that the bill passed the House unanimously. Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: February 7, 2019”