In an open letter to Catholic school leaders and partners, Jason Slattery, the director of Catholic education and superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, announced nonpublic school pupil aid remains in Gov. Tim Walz’s recently announced budget.
“The Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Walz announced that they’ve reached a bipartisan agreement on state budget targets, and our allies fought to make sure that your students did not lose access to their funding,” Slattery wrote.
Walz and legislative leaders discussed a budget proposal this year that would have included eliminating more than $100 million over the biennium in essential services for nonpublic school students, including busing, textbooks and nursing.
Slattery thanked school partners for their prayers and advocacy through contact with legislators and their attendance at a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol on May 7.
“This entire effort, although not welcomed, is evidence of the great solidarity and unity of our Catholic school system and beyond,” Slattery wrote in the letter. “We will need to remain vigilant that this issue does not come up again — cutting aid for our students is not an option. We are grateful to our partners at the Minnesota Catholic Conference for all their incredible work in supporting our Catholic schools in their mission. Please be assured of prayers for your work to close out your school year.”
