Senator Smith believes that a strong public education system, from early childhood to higher education, is one of the most important investments we can make, because education has the power to change lives. A high-quality education empowers and creates opportunity, allowing people to reach their full potential, support their families with good-paying jobs, and become well informed and engaged citizens.
Education provides a strong foundation for our economy and our communities, and it starts with the littlest kids and learners. Senator Smith has worked in response to the childcare shortages in Minnesota, she’s a proud supporter of legislation to provide high-quality affordable childcare to all parents, to support childcare providers, and boost supply in Minnesota.
Sen. Smith believes that every young person has a right to a high-quality K-12 education. She’s introduced legislation to address teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas, hard to staff subject areas, and to help improve teacher workforce diversity. She’s heard again and again from teachers about the challenges their students are facing and so she has championed several measures to support student mental health needs and well-being. When it comes to higher education, Sen. Smith believes that college has become unaffordable for too many. She finds it troubling that the average debt for students graduating from a four-year college in Minnesota is $31,000. She believes we need to rethink this system because it’s not fair to students, and it’s getting so that it is even slowing down our economy.
But Senator Smith also understands that ‘higher education’ doesn’t always mean a 4-year degree. Sen. Smith strongly believes that we need to increase our investments in two-year community and technical colleges, and workforce education overall to ensure that students are well-prepared to meet workforce needs. This type of education will help students obtain the in-demand skills that will help them land good-paying jobs that employers are hiring for now, not in the distant future.
Sen. Smith is also committed to addressing the opportunity gaps that prevent too many students from reaching their full potential. She believes that means ensuring that every student, from LGBTQ youth, to those struggling with a challenging home life, mental health issues, or immigrant Minnesotans’ has the support they need to succeed.
Finally, Sen. Smith understands that outside the classroom our kids are facing many barriers and she strongly supports reforming and expanding the Child Tax Credit to invest in children and reduce child poverty in Minnesota and across the nation.
Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Smith, Baldwin & Murphy Reintroduce Bill to Support Young Farmers, Forgive Student Loan Debt
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) reintroduced the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act, legislation to create a loan forgiveness program for beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as veteran, women and minority farmers. Beginning farmers are considered those who have less than 10 years of experience operating a farm. The ag industry will soon see major shifts in farm ownership with more than one-third of American farmers being 65 years old or older. Student loan debt is among the largest obstacles America’s young farmers face, placing an enormous financial strain on beginner farmers and discouraging others from pursuing careers in the agricultural industry. Unforgiven student debt has a disproportionate impact on the farming industry. The Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act would grant these farmers the support they need to invest in their farms and ranches and incentivize a new generation of farmers to enter the agricultural industry. “To keep Minnesota’s agriculture economy thriving, we need to continue to invest in the next generation of farmers as the average age of farmers keeps going up. There is more we can be doing to help future farmers fill their shoes,” said Sen. Smith. “Student debt is one of the most significant challenges our young farmers and ranchers face. This legislation would help encourage a younger, more diverse workforce and help more people start and stay in farming.” “Wisconsin farmers work hard to feed our families, support our rural economies, and
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Jim Banks Introduce New Bipartisan Youth Suicide Prevention Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced the Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention (RAYS) Act, requiring middle and high schools to include mental health and suicide prevention information on student identification cards and school websites. The hotline and text line has been used nearly 20 million times since it was created in 2022. “We can’t afford to leave holes in the safety net we’ve built to catch people when they’re going through hard times or struggling with their mental health. That’s why we created the 988 hotline in the first place. Now, we need to make sure everyone, especially young people, know that resources are available to them when they need it,” said Senator Smith. “This is a common-sense idea to help those facing mental health challenges. It tells them that they are not alone and help is out there.” “It is unacceptable that suicide is the leading cause of death for Americans under 21. This legislation will expand access to vital resources and help save lives,” said Senator Banks. The RAYS Act would require secondary education institutions to provide contact information for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a state or local suicide prevention hotline selected by the school, if available, on the back of all student ID cards. If a school cannot meet this requirement because it does not distribute physical student ID cards, cost is a barrier, or some other administrative burden,
U.S. Senators Smith, Shaheen, Warnock, Murray and Wyden Introduce Legislation to Expand Childcare Relief to Families
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act, legislation to help more working families cover a greater share of the high cost of childcare. Senator Smith, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, was joined by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee in introducing the bill. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). This bill would help ease the burden of high childcare costs
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Seek Answers on Elon Musk and DOGE’s Access to Federal Student Loan Data
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith, alongside 15 of her colleagues, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Education Denise Carter, seeking answers after reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education (ED) and students’ personal, private data. There are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States, and the student loan database infiltrated by Musk contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data. “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Expanding Pell Grant Use to Job Training Programs
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) to introduce the bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, legislation allowing Americans to use federal Pell Grants—need-based education grants for lower-income individuals—to pay for shorter-term job training programs. Currently, Pell Grants can only be used for two- and four-year colleges and universities. The JOBS Act expands their applicability, allowing Pell Grants to be used for shorter-term, high-skill job training. “Some of the most in-demand, high-paying jobs don’t require a four-year college degree – jobs like welders, machine operators and medical
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Introduce Legislation to Clean Up Toxins Within Schools
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Health and Education Committee, introduced the Get Toxic Substances Out of Schools Act to remove toxic substances from school buildings across the country. The legislation, unveiled on World Children’s Day, comes on the heels of a report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that found less than half of public schools in the state were tested for radon between 2018 and 2022. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and occurs more frequently in Minnesota due to the state’s geology. The bill was led by Senator
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