Community Education is Here For Your
MCEA Legislative Platform
Community Education in Minnesota
Community Education is a statewide system delivered locally through Minnesota’s school districts that connects early learning, child care, enrichment, recreation, adult education, and lifelong learning. For more than 50 years, Community Education has responded to real community needs that do not fit neatly into one system by providing flexible, community-defined opportunities.
When families need affordable options, when schedules do not align, or when communities need space to learn and connect, Community Education is there to fill those gaps and support people at every stage of life.
Continued state investment is essential to sustain this work and ensure Community Education remains responsive, accessible, and reliable in communities across Minnesota, making a real impact every day.
Legislative support is necessary to ensure Community Education remains responsive, accessible, and reliable in communities across Minnesota, making a real impact every day.
2026 Legislative Priorities Include:
Early Childhood Program Funding – Appropriately allocate funds for Early Childhood programming to meet the diverse needs of Minnesota families and the delivery costs of a district’s community-defined model.
School Age Care Levy Expansion – Expand the School Age Care Levy to include three- and four-year-old students enrolled in the district.
Youth After-School Enrichment Levy Increase – Increase the Youth After-School Enrichment Levy to reflect rising programming costs since the funding was established in 2003.
Workforce Stability Funding – Establish an ongoing funding stream to address unemployment insurance impacts on Community Education programs and ensure staffing stability statewide.
Connect With Us to Learn More:
Matt Dickhausen – Executive Director
mdickhausen@mn-mcea.org | 320-455-2407
Valerie Dosland – Lobbyist
valeried@ewald.com | 612-490-3052