May 20, 2026

Year: 2022

Health Care Savings–A refresher

Health Care Savings–A refresher

gpmartinson November 15, 2022

A number of contracts ago, EM-R negotiated a 2% salary match for a Health Care Savings Plan as part of the benefits package found in your contract.  The Health Care Savings Plan allows you to invest money in a medical savings account while employed in ISD623. The plan is administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) and is a TAX-FREE account! Details of the plan can be found HERE and in the two minute video below.  Per statute, participation in the plan is mandatory for any locals that include it in their contract and the money cannot be accessed until you leave employment with ISD623.  You do have the option to choose how the money in your account is invested.   Click HERE to log in and check the balance of your account or change investment options (you’ll see the login portal in the upper right corner). 

Summary video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJEdFclVcRQ


Register for MEA NOW! 50f07387-1df1-4a33-9e22-473fa03efe59.png

Register for MEA NOW!

gpmartinson October 11, 2022
To view this email as a web page, go here.
Classes are filling up – register now!
Workshops are filling up fast for the 2022 MEA conference Oct. 20 both online and at the Saint Paul RiverCentre! 

You must register in advance for the conference and sessions. Sign up now to guarantee your spot!

2022 conference overview:

Check-in opens: 7:30 a.m.
Exhibits: 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
General session: 9-10:30 a.m.
Workshops: 10:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

Jennifer Berkshire will kick off the conference with her keynote about about the intersection of politics and education and the “reform movement” whose real motives are to privatize public education. The general session starts at 9 a.m. in Ballrooms A and B.

Check out the rest of our virtual and in-person workshop lineup here.  

Register now!

Join our new(er) educators at MEA!
NEW this year: We’re hosting a space just for early career and aspiring educators!

Join us anytime from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Ballroom D at the Saint Paul RiverCentre to unwind, reflect and connect with other new(er) educators.

Also, don’t forget to register for the Practical Guidance for New(er) Educators session from 3:45-4:45 p.m. in Conference Room 15. A panel of educators will share advice and experience in the classroom!    
Debt Relief for Educators

Debt Relief for Educators

gpmartinson September 30, 2022


*Debt relief for educators: Resources and support
With the deadline for public loan forgiveness coming up in a month, we’d like to remind members of the resources and support your union is providing as Oct. 31 approaches. 

1. Training for members on loan forgiveness, including the new debt relief announcement from President Joe Biden, is available.
There is one more opportunity for members to receive training on the loan forgiveness options currently available for workers in public education at the MEA conference. Ed MN’s “Degrees Not Debt” class will be offered in-person at 1:15 p.m. and virtually at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 20. Register here!

Members who cannot attend either synchronous class can view a recording of the most recent training via MEA Online. The recorded webinar is titled “UPDATED Degrees Not Debt w/ Cancellation information 8.30.22” and is 90 minutes in length.

2. Virtual student debt clinics from AFT
One of our two national unions, AFT, is running virtual student debt clinics weekly for the next month for those interested in getting information on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver. We recommend these trainings for members who cannot attend Ed MN’s virtual or in-person trainings and want a virtual, live alternative. Members can register online here. 

3. Loan forgiveness fact sheet from NEA
NEA shared a great fact sheet on both the new debt relief announcement and on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver that is in place until Oct. 31. The fact sheet is linked above and is also posted on Ed MN’s  Degrees Not Debt page.

*New BRAVE program helps early career educators build resiliency and voice
Educators within the first five years of their career are invited to join other early career colleagues across the state in strengthening their resilience and professional voice.

Ed MN’s new BRAVE program, which stands for Building Resiliency and Voice with Early Career Educators, is designed to help newer educators in those critical first years of an education career.

BRAVE participants will receive support, mentorship and professional development in establishing work/life balance, building culturally-responsive classrooms and instructional strategies, and developing skills to use their voice to advocate for their students and schools. This six-session, cohort-based course provides early career educators with both time and a safe space to connect with other newer colleagues from across the state facing similar systemic concerns in their locals.

Register here by Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Contact Melissa Del Rosario  at Education Minnesota with questions.

*Foundation grants are now available
Members looking for funding for classroom projects or a professional development opportunity can apply for a grant from the Education Minnesota Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Visit the Foundation grant overview page to see if the Classroom-focused, Professional Development, IMPACT Grant or National Board Certified Teachers Scholarship could be the source for your needs.

The Foundation is currently accepting applications for the fall round of Professional Development grants.
Frontline Worker Pay

Frontline Worker Pay

gpmartinson June 6, 2022
Applications open June 8 for frontline worker payments!
Frontline workers, including school staff, can start applying next week for one-time payments to recognize their work during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The application period is open June 8 through July 22 at frontlinepay.mn.gov.   

Your statewide union, Education Minnesota, fought hard to make sure state lawmakers approved these long-overdue payments to the school staff and other essential workers who kept our state running.  

Those eligible include ESPs, teachers, bus drivers, grocery store workers, factory workers, health care workers and many more. Employees in those categories are eligible for payment if:They worked in person for at least 120 hours between March 15, 2020, and June 30, 2021.They did not receive unemployment for more than 20 weeks during that period.For educators, their wages were no more than $185,000 for a married taxpayer filing a joint return or $85,000 for all other filers. All eligible applicants will receive an equal share of the available $500 million. Payments can’t exceed $1,500, but they could be lower if there are a significant number of applicants. We estimate payments will be around $750 per worker and will go out in early September as either direct bank deposits or mailed debit cards.  

Click here for more information on the frontline worker pay. 
Upcoming When to Retire Training

Upcoming When to Retire Training

gpmartinson May 6, 2022

Ed MN ESI will be holding a “When Can I Afford to Retire” virtual seminar for Education Minnesota members on May 12 from 6-7 p.m. This seminar will focus on those with a TRA pension.

During your working career your income comes from your salary. In retirement, your income comes from three sources; a pension, Social Security and other savings you have such as a 403(b). Whether you are an early career educator or nearing retirement, this seminar has valuable information for you.

Attending a When Can I Afford to Retire seminar will:

·       Provide a general overview of defined benefit pensions

·       Increase member level of understanding of retirement benefits

·       Assist members with next steps for future planning

Please register here if you plan to attend.

If you have questions regarding the seminar, please contact Christine Thornborrow at [email protected] . 

Ways to Support MFT Educators

Ways to Support MFT Educators

gpmartinson March 9, 2022

Listed below are multiple ways you can support our striking colleagues in Minneapolis.  Please consider helping their fight for a fair and equitable contract!    

Pension Information and Virtual Seminar

Pension Information and Virtual Seminar

gpmartinson January 25, 2022
EdMN_email logo.png

One of the many things Education Minnesota ESI provides for members is informational seminars. Christine Thornborrow from Ed MN ESI will be holding a “When Can I Afford to Retire” virtual seminar on Feb. 10 from 6-7 p.m. 

Whether you are an early career educator or nearing retirement, this seminar has valuable information for you and is designed to:

· Provide a general overview of defined benefit pensions like TRA

·       Increase member level of understanding of retirement benefits

·       Assist members with next steps for future planning

Please register here if you would like to attend.

 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON YOUR PENSION, PLEASE CLICK ON THE TRA LINKS BELOW:

*TRA 101 VIDEO (2 minutes)

*PENSION BASICS

*NEW MEMBERS

*EARLY CAREER*MID-CAREER

*NEARING RETIREMENT

*ADDITIONAL TRA VIDEOS

Important updates on Student Loans

Important updates on Student Loans

gpmartinson January 11, 2022
We have important updates to share on student loans for all borrowers and for those who are working toward loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

As you may have heard, the federal government on Dec. 22 extended its pause on student loan payments, interest accrual and student debt collection until May 1, 2022. This means borrowers now have until the end of April to make plans on how they will restart their payments — a welcome relief as pandemic concerns sharpen.
 
Also in December, we received an update from Federal Student Aid on the expanded loan forgiveness provisions that were enacted via a federal waiveron Oct. 6. This update is critically important for those who are going to be participating in Public Service Loan Forgiveness. It also impacts all borrowers who are going to continue to participate in Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
 
Federal Student Aid has issued updated guidance on which repayment plans will qualify for forgiveness. For payments made before Sept. 30, 2021, any repayment plan will count toward forgiveness. You will still need to consolidate loans if they are not Direct Loans AND certify your employment.But from Sept. 30, 2021 and onward, only income-driven repayment (IDR) plans will count toward forgiveness. Once payments resume after the federal pause ends on May 1, 2022, ongoing payments need to be made on an income-driven plan. This clarifies guidance previously issued by the feds.
 
If you are already enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan, you don’t need to do anything else based on this update. You should be all set.
 
If you are not enrolled in an IDR plan, you can enroll in one now to make sure your future payments are eligible for forgiveness. You can apply online via your account on studentaid.gov.
 
Please direct any questions to our Degrees, Not Debt program at [email protected].
 

You may have missed

EM-R May Newsletter

Dan Beck May 11, 2026

Member to Member Sharing

gpmartinson April 24, 2026

EM-R April Newsletter

gpmartinson April 13, 2026
CleanShot 2026-04-07 at 15.22.56

The Contract is now live and on the Website

gpmartinson April 7, 2026