By Quintessa Williams
Kamala Harris is making history as the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Her chosen vice presidential pick, Gov. Tim Walz, not only adds to the historic nature of her campaign but also brings a wealth of experience in education policy.
Walz, the Minnesota governor and a former schoolteacher, is the first educator in 50 years to land a spot on a major party’s presidential ticket. He made significant strides in improving K-12 education in Minnesota, with a particular focus on equity and support for underserved communities.
Walz’s commitment to K-12 education reform has significantly improved the lives of Minnesota’s Black students. By focusing on increased funding, early childhood education, equity, teacher support, and mental health services, his policies have addressed critical issues that have historically hindered the academic success of Black students — and educational policymakers and advocates hope he will elevate his dedication to the issue to a national stage.
Increased Education Funding
One of the cornerstone achievements of Walz’s administration has been the substantial increase in funding for public education. In May 2019, he signed a $20 billion education funding bill that boosted public school funding by $543 million.
It also increased per-pupil state aid to public school districts by 2% each year of the two-year budget. This funding aimed to reduce disparities by ensuring schools in low-income and predominantly Black communities access better resources, from updated textbooks and technology to extracurricular programs. Enhanced funding helps address long-standing resource gaps that have hindered educational opportunities for Black students.
Last year, Walz signed another sweeping education budget into law, increasing spending for K-12 schools by $2.3 billion. The law also made school employees eligible to collect unemployment benefits during summer school closures.
Universal School Meals Bill
In 2023, Walz also signed Minnesota’s universal school meals bill. This legislation guarantees that all students in the state will receive free breakfast and lunch at school, regardless of their family’s income level.
The bill requires all public schools in Minnesota to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. This policy removed the need for families to apply for free or reduced-price meal programs and ensured that no student goes hungry during the school day.
This ensures that Black students, disproportionately affected by poverty, have access to nutritious meals, which also increases their academic participation and performance.
Walz has been a strong proponent of early childhood education, understanding its crucial role in long-term academic success. As part of a 2019 education funding bill, his administration expanded funding for pre-kindergarten programs, allowing more children, including those from Black communities, to access early learning opportunities.
The bill provided an additional $46 million over two years to fund pre-K programs, targeting communities with the highest needs.
In addition, in May 2024, Walz signed the Education, Children and Families Bill into law, including funding to increase the voluntary prekindergarten program seats to 12,360 in fiscal year 2025. The bill also invests $37 million to improve literacy skills and compensate teachers for training in structured literacy.
This early intervention is vital for closing achievement gaps before they widen and providing a solid foundation for future academic and social development. By expanding access to pre-K, more Black children benefit from early learning experiences that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.
Mental Health Package Allocation
In 2022, Walz signed a mental health package bill that included substantial investments totaling $92.7 million to enhance mental health services across Minnesota. This legislation allocated nearly $13 million to provide support for K-12 children experiencing mental health crises, including those who are either uninsured or underinsured, to ensure they have access to mental health services.
The funding approach was particularly important for Black students, who may have faced unique mental stressors and challenges. By improving mental health services in schools, access to mental health care for Black students increased, which could have aided in early detection for treatment and helped reduce barriers to learning, — allowing students to improve their overall well-being and academic performance.
The Potential Long-Term Impact
On August 2, just days before he was chosen as Kamala Harris’ VP pick, Walz announced that new figures released by the Minnesota Department of Revenue showed the state’s nation-leading Child Tax Credit had put over $545 million into the budgets of more than 215,000 Minnesota families this year.
In the press release, Walz said that the state’s child tax credit was an investment in the financial security and well-being of children and families, citing that nearly 440,000 children had already benefited. Lieutenant Governor Flanagan said the credit will help Minnesotans “afford groceries, rent, or a new backpack for school, making Minnesota the best state for children and families.”
Revenue Commissioner Paul Marquart said that under Walz’s leadership, Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit has “become an effective tool in our efforts to reduce childhood poverty” — a common issue that disproportionately affects Black K-12 students.
It remains to be seen what role Walz will have in enacting education policies as vice president — or even selecting the Secretary of Education — but his background as a teacher and governor whose policies positively impacted Black students seems to be a step in the right direction.
