Not long after the University of Minnesota’s College Republicans hosted “School Choice Week” with state rep. Drew Christensen, we saw the Minnesota State legislature address this vital issue through public policy initiatives.

According to CBS Local News, “House and Senate lawmakers announced bills to offer tax credits for scholarship donations and put state per-pupil funding for students with special needs in their families’ hands. “This is about allowing other people to be part of the education solution so that these children have access to many types of educational opportunities, not just one or two,” said Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls. His bill would set aside $80 million in tax credits for people and corporations donating to scholarship funds. Low-income students and their families could then use those scholarships to attend a school of their choice.”

To address this fundamental issue, Former Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty visited the University of Minnesota to address some key concerns regarding Education, Job Creation, his political ideals and future. While speaking at the Humphrey school of Public Affairs he said that education inequality is a major concern in Minnesota.

“There is an enormous correlation between income inequality and education inequality,” he said. “We have to incentivize the best teachers to serve in the most disadvantaged areas.”

As was reported in the Minnesota Republic, many students firmly at the university firmly hold to the idea that America’s poor education system is hurting the country’s most vulnerable by not allowing them the opportunity to switch to a better school when their public school is failing. The new Republican legislature has made school choice a top priority, and many students throughout the university are excited at the prospect state legislatures and the former governor tackling this issue head on- making life better and the American dream more achievable for lower income students throughout the state.