“Minnesota is once again at the center of America’s heartbreak,” Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar opened her pre-recorded speech for the “Envisioning a Bright Future for Rural Education” keynote hosted at St. Olaf College on March 13. “We are also at the center of America’s hope and courage.”

Due to conflicting schedules, Klobuchar was unable to be physically present at the summit hosted at St. Olaf in partnership with the National Academies for the Sciences, Engineering, and Math. 

Klobuchar welcomed the educators present at St. Olaf, amplifying the work educators do. She recognized teachers who are going out of their way to organize food drives or technology for students and school districts across the state coming together against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“One thing that has given our state strength is how education leaders have stood up for their students and staff,” Klobuchar said. “No matter the circumstances, our teachers and our schools are there and in the middle of all of it.”

Klobuchar emphasized her beliefs in good education. She mentioned the recent cuts to federal education funding and stated that rural schools face unique challenges. To combat these challenges, she provided a four-step action plan that she is working on for rural communities in Minnesota:

1. Create more opportunities for students: Klobuchar aims to increase access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, along with mentorship and experience. This includes opportunities such as the first regional robotics competition hosted in Winona, Minn. She wants to develop further expansion on STEM education pathways and access to real-world training.
2. Bolster teacher workforce: “You can’t have a school without teachers,” Klobuchar said. Nearly three quarters of schools, with a disproportionately high percentage in rural locations, have a difficult time finding teachers. Klobuchar supports bipartisan legislation to address the shortage by expanding access to educational programs, such as connections between high schools and colleges. Klobuchar is pushing against attempts to slash funding, as well as advocating to fully fund various programs to focus on better funding for teachers’ salaries.
3. Improve school infrastructure: Along with investing in teachers, Klobuchar directs efforts with the state to invest in schools themselves. She aims to increase federal resources for rural schools across Minnesota.
4. Broadband Internet: Broadband provides high-speed internet to rural areas across Minnesota. Right now, over 120,000 households in Minnesota are without high-speed internet, which can make it hard for students to do online homework. She hopes to bring high speed internet to every household in Minnesota. 

Following her action plan, she reflected on her own experiences. 

“I have seen the power of education firsthand,” Klobuchar said. “My parents and grandparents taught me that no matter where you come from, you can succeed.”

Klobuchar concluded the talk to close out the keynote speech.

“Here I am before you today, as a granddaughter of an iron ore miner, the daughter of a teacher and a newspaper man, and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of Minnesota,” Klobuchar said. “That’s the power of education.”