HAVE A CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT VERY, VERY SOON. >> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE MAULER, LET'S MOVE TO A DIFFERENT TOPIC. WHICH IS POST SECONDARY EDUCATION. WE HAD ASKED VIEWERS ABOUT THAT GENERAL TOPIC. LET'S START WITH YOU AS ONE OF THE EDUCATORS ON THE PANEL. WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU SEE IN THIS SESSION AND VIEWERS HAVE NOTED A VARIETY OF THINGS IN THIS AREA OF CONCERN, AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVE PELOWSKI A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE DECLINING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING COLLEGES, FIGHTING ATTENDANCE ISSUES, AND HAD ISSUES WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, WHICH ARE ALSO A CONCERN. ALL OF THAT ADDS UP TO WHAT KIND OF PRIORITIES DO YOU SEE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE SESSION? THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS AND OFTEN WOULD TALK TO MY STUDENTS ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE FOR WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE READY FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. OBVIOUSLY WE HAD PSEO WHICH ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE COLLEGE GRADUATES WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT I WANT TO BE ABLE, FOR ME, YOU KNOW, I THINK AFTER COVID, EDUCATION HAS CHANGED. WE HAVE TO REALLY BE ABLE TO GRAB ON TO THAT. WE HAVE TO SEIZE THAT MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM OF EDUCATION AND LOOK AT WHAT OUR EDUCATORS, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS WANT AND WHAT THEY WANT IS MULTIPLE PEDIGREES. COLLEGE IS AN IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, BUT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO WANT CAREERS THAT REQUIRE COLLEGE EDUCATION. SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE PATHWAYS FOR OUR STUDENTS IS GOING TO BE KEY, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE LOOKING AT DECLINING ENROLLMENT FOR TRADITIONAL COLLEGE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW WE CAN PARTNER OUR COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS TOGETHER SO WE CAN OFFER MORE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES, MORE APPRENTICESHIP, RESIDENCIES, MORE HANDS ON AREAS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM EXPERTS IN THE BUSINESS, EXPERT IN THEIR FIELD THAT COUNT DULY FOR BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND FOR COLLEGE SO THAT AGAIN ONCE THEY GRADUATE, THEY HAVE CERTIFICATIONS, AND THEY HAVE A TWO-YEAR DEGREE, AND SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO GO AND GET A JOB RIGHT AWAY WHICH THEN WILL ALLOW THEM TO GET MONEY WHICH THEN ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION WITHOUT THE CRUSHING DEBT OF COLLEGE TUITION RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW THAT THAT IS OVERWHELMING, AND THE ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO HELP WITH THAT, AND IS TO STRUCTURALLY CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE LOOK AT SCHOOL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. >> Barry: SENATOR RARICK, HIGHER EDUCATION, YOUR THOUGHTS. >> YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE AREA THAT I TOOK ON THREE YEARS AGO AND I HAVE BEEN DIGGING INTO, BUT 8 PLUS YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE, SOMETHING I TALK ABOUT WITH MY CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND AND HAVING GONE TO A TRADE SCHOOL, I'M ADAMANT WHEN I TALK TO KIDS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY NEED MORE THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IN TODAY'S WORLD. BUT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS TO GET THAT EDUCATION, TWO-YEAR PROGRAM, FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM, AND AS REPRESENTATIVE MUELLER SAID, AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY HAPPENING IS THINGS ARE CHANGING. THE WORKFORCE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE EARLIER, THEY ARE IN SUCH DEMAND FOR IT, AND PINE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN MY HOMETOWN OF PINE CITY, THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF COMPANIES THAT THEY FIND SOMEBODY, AND THEY WANT TO BRING THEM ON AND GET THEM WORKING RIGHT AWAY BUT THEY KNOW THEY NEED EDUCATION AS WELL. PAIN TECH IS DEVELOPING PROGRAMS TO BRING THEM IN SO THEY ARE GETTING THAT TRAINING, BUT YET THEY ARE WORKING DURING THE DAY OR IN THE EVENING. SO THIS IS THAT COMBINATION, SO THEY ARE NOT ONLY WORKING A JOB AND EARNING MONEY BUT THEY ARE GETTING SOME TRAINING, AND I THINK OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START LOOKING AT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO MOVE EVEN BEYOND MANUFACTURING AND A LOT OF PLACES ARE GOING TO SAY HEY, WE JUST WANT TO GET YOU HERE, AND WE WILL TRAIN YOU IN SPECIFICS, BUT WE STILL WANT YOU TO GET THAT FOUR-YEAR DEGREE. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE DUAL PATHS LIKE THAT, WORKING AND GOING TO SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME, AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADAPT TO SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT MEET THE WORKFORCE, BUT STILL GET THAT EDUCATION THAT PEOPLE WANT AND COMPANIES ARE EXPECTING. I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THEN IN THAT REALM, TOO, I THINK THERE ARE THINGS WE REALLY -- WE HAD A PRESENTATION FOR THE MIN STATE SYSTEM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO NO ONE FROM THEIR FAMILIES HAS NEVER GONE ON BEYOND A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND WORK IN LOWER WAGE JOBS, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY NEED HELP THROUGH GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO BE THE FIRST ONE FROM THEIR FAMILY TO GET TO SCHOOL, GET THAT TRAINING SO THEY CAN MOVE INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND BEING TALKED ABOUT. >> Barry: SENATOR CWODZONSKI, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION ISSUES. >> FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO GET RID OF THE STIGMA OF SNOT GOING TO COLLEGE. IN MY YEARS OF TEACHING, I WOULD RUN INTO A SENIOR IN THE HALLWAY, AND GO UP TO HIM AND SAY WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR AND AND IF THEIR HEAD WENT DOWN, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO COME OUT OF THEIR MOWNTS. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE INSTILLED THAT SHAME FOR THEM FOR ONLY GOING TO MANKATO OR HENNEPIN TECH, BUT SHAME ON US. THE FIRST PLACE TO START IS NOT ASKING OUR KIDS WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO COLLEGE AND ASK THEM WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. THE OTHER THING YOU WOULD SUGGEST IS WHEN I WAS BACK IN THE DINOSAUR DAYS WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I WAS ABLE TO WORK PART-TIME AND PAY TUITION AND RENT AND FOOD, AND THE LEGISLATURE USED TO FUND 60-40, TUITION OF POST SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AND I THINK IT'S 40-60. SO I WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON THAT. TUITION IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE HAVE ALL KNOWN ABOUT COLLEGE LOAN DEBTS AND HOW IT'S STIFLING FAMILIES, AND CAN'T GET MORTGAGE FOR THE FIRST HOME BECAUSE THE COLLEGE LOAN DEBTS ARE TOO HIGH. I JUST WANT TO, PATRICIA ALLUDED TO THIS, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN OUR COMMITTEE, JASON, EARLIER TODAY OR OTHER EDUCATION MAYBE, BUT I FOUND OUT WE HEARD A BILL, THAT IF A KID WORKS FOR 350 HOURS, AND WE USED TO CALL A CANDY STRIKE GIRL, OR BOYS, TOO, BUT FOR 350 HOURS OF WORK IN AN ELDER CARE FACILITY OR SOME SUCH FACILITY, THEY COULD EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT. WHAT A GREAT IDEA TO HELP WITH SHORTAGES IN OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND TURN KIDS ONTO THE POSSIBILITIES OF THAT BEING A CAREER PATH. >> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE FEIST, YOUR THOUGHTS, HIGHER EDUCATION. >> WE HEARD THAT BILL, TOO, IN THE HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD, TOO. SO I HAVE A BILL THAT IS A BIPARTISAN BILL I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT REPUBLICAN SENATORS HEARD SINCE LAST TERM THAT WOULD REQUIRE FAFSA COMPLETION FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. IT HAS BROAD EXCEPTIONS, SO BASICALLY PSYCHOLOGY. WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO OPT OUT INSTEAD OF OPTING IN, AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THE MOST RECENT DATA SAID WE LACK $49 MILLION IN PELL GRANTS ON THE TABLE THAT STUDENTS MISSED OR THAT WEREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID THAT DON'T KNOW IT. WE ALSO HAVE DATA FROM OTHER STATES THAT HAVE DONE THIS, BUT HAVE SHOWN IN STATES THAT DO IT, LOW INCOME STUDENTS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GO ON TO HIGHER ED AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. I'M WORKING ON IT WITH ADVOCATES WITHIN THE TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE SETTING. BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS GO TO TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES. BRIDGING THAT TOPIC, WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS WHAT THEY DID. I THINK IN TENNESSEE IT'S THE FIRST PLACE. I THINK IT'S A COUPLE OTHER STATES WHERE THEY BASICALLY EXTENDED THE K-12 CONTINUUM TO INCLUDE TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES. THEY ARE A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO BE TRAINING OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE, AND I THINK OTHERS ACCEPT THIS, TOO. THEY ARE REALLY CONNECTED IN THIS INDUSTRY. SO A LOT OF STUDENTS GO THERE AND HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT. IT'S REALLY NEW CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY. I THINK THAT'S FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND GREAT EQUITY THING. GIVING MORE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FUNDING OR KIND OF THE MOMENTUM TO GO ON TO HIGHER ED. I THINK IF WE REQUIRED FAFSA AND PAID FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT STUFF FOR MINNESOTA. >> IF I COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICK. >> Barry: GO AHEAD. >> PINE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS WORKING ON THAT. THEY PARTNERED WITH DENNIS FRANZEN. HE CREATED FRANZEN BANKS. HE CREATED A FOUNDATION AND STARTED WITH TWO COOLS, ONE FROM WEBSTER, WISCONSIN AND RUSH CITY, MINNESOTA THAT ANY KID WHO GRADUATES WOULD GET FREE TUITION IN PINE TECH. WHAT THEY FOUND OUT, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THE OTHER PROCESSES IS THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR SO MUCH AID THAT HE'S EXPANDED THAT, AND IT'S 6 SCHOOLS HE OFFERS THAT TO. PINE COUNTY WITH SOME OTHER ARPA MONEY EXTENDED THAT TO OTHER SCHOOLS, AND THERE ARE WAYS TO REALLY HELP. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THAT MODEL OUT TO GET OTHER FOLKS IN THE SAME SITUATION AS A DENNIS FRANZEN OR OTHERS TO POOL TOGETHER TO REALLY HELP MAKE THAT POSSIBLE FOR THESE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TECH COLLEGES, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, AND THERE IS A LOT OF HELP TO GET THEM THERE. THEY ARE JUST NOT ALWAYS AWARE. >> Barry: IT MIGHT BE WORTH NOTING HERE THAT IF YOU GO FAR ENOUGH BACK INTO OUR HISTORY, TWO-YEAR SO-CALLED, THEN, SO-CALLED VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WERE IN FACT CONNECTED TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT RATHER THAN PART OF THE STATE SYSTEM. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE MAYBE IT'S PROOF TO THE ADAGE THERE'S NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. WE ARE DISCOVERING THINGS