Hundreds of students, parents, and community members rallied at the Minnesota State Capitol Wednesday to oppose Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget cuts that would eliminate funding for non-public pupil aid and transportation aid.
Livestreamed by Alpha News, the event—organized by Minndependent and the Minnesota Catholic Conference—featured signs reading “No child left unfunded” and chants of “Support all students!”
The rally urged lawmakers to preserve essential services like nurses, counselors, textbooks, and busing for non-public school students.
Tim Benz, president of Minndependent, kicked off the rally, calling for a “unified and resounding message to the governor and legislators” to protect non-public school aid.
Benito Matias, principal of Ascension Catholic School in North Minneapolis, called the cuts an “injustice” to his school, which “serves one of the most marginalized communities in the state of Minnesota.”
He said about 99% of students who have graduated from Ascension’s K-8 school have gone on to graduate from high school over the past decade. “When we think about injustice and we talk about the state of Minnesota supporting counseling, supporting nursing, supporting textbooks, for them to say that they’re no longer going to do that is an injustice,” Matias said.
Dan Beckering, head of school at Southwest Christian High School in Chaska, said the state has upheld a “bipartisan commitment” to non-public pupil aid for 50 years. “This commitment ensures every student is supported equitably and that families can exercise their right to freedom of choice in education,” he said. “Gov. Walz’s plan will break that commitment.”
Student voices
Maureen, a seventh-grader at St. Agnes School, suffers from a chronic health condition. “Removing funding for our school nurse is unethical, unfair, and unconscionable,” she said, noting many classmates also depend on the nurse.
Ryan, a student at St. Ambrose, said he depends on busing because both of his parents work full-time. “If there’s no bus, I don’t know how I’ll be able to attend,” he said. Seventh-grader Zachary from St. Therese echoed: “The bus isn’t just a ride—it’s how I get to my amazing school.”
Legislative pushback
Republican legislators pledged resistance. Sen. Julia Coleman, a Hill Murray School graduate, shared how state aid and scholarships supported her education during family hardships. “This is about protecting the only chance we have for school choice in this state,” she said, vowing to fight the proposed cuts.
Sen. Jason Rarick noted that non-public students receive around $1,000 in state aid, compared to more than $9,000 for public school students. He warned that shifting just 5% of non-public students to public schools would eliminate any cost savings and potentially cost the state more.
House GOP Leader Harry Niska echoed the concern. “House Republicans will not agree to an education budget bill that cuts non-public pupil aid,” he said. “It would hurt students, burden families, and weaken educational outcomes across our state.”
Symone Harms
Symone Harms is a Media Production and Business Marketing student at Bethel University. She is actively involved in The Royals Investment Fund, The 25, theatre, and other leadership positions. She also cohosts Rooted, a podcast dedicated to being rooted in truth, growing in freedom, and prospering in life. A Minnesota native with a passion for storytelling and digital media, she aspires to a career in broadcasting as a news anchor and reporter.
