April 22, 2026

gpmartinson

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].
 
Degrees Not Debt

Degrees Not Debt

gpmartinson December 9, 2021

We want to make sure you, as an educator, know about existing student loan forgiveness programs, how to find out if you’re eligible and how to apply for them. Education Minnesota’s updated “Degrees, Not Debt” program is designed to inform members about recent changes to federal loan forgiveness programs.   While an offline version of this event is available to members at MEA Online, there will be a live, interactive Webinar next Monday, Dec. 13. Details are below.

Degrees Not Debt Live Webinar

Monday December 13th at 6pm- Virtual Event

Registration:   https://cvent.me/dKx8XP

For additional questions regarding the webinar or its content please contact Bridget Moore at [email protected]

Grants Available

Grants Available

gpmartinson November 15, 2021

This is a reminder of upcoming grants opportunities available through Education Minnesota (also listed in your Oct/Nov MN Educator magazine): 

Classroom Focused Grants – up to $3,000 for for innovative project design and implementation 

PD Grants for Teachers –  up to $1500 for teachers to either facilitate, develop or attend PD sessions. 

IMPACT Grants – up to $15,000 for projects that team up with a local non-profit

Ed MN Early Teacher Seminar –  unique PD targeted for teachers in the profession five years or less. 3 grad credits and 10 CEU’s upon completion. 

Reminder: U of M survey on school conditions

If you haven’t yet done so, please take the opportunity to share how the current school year is going and what additional supports are needed by taking this third and final round of the MN Safe Learning Survey.   If you are both an educator and a parent feel free to take the survey twice to reflect your opinion in both roles.  

The survey closes Wednesday, Nov. 24.
 

Loan Forgiveness Program Improves e3345e36-a9dc-477e-84f7-089d8987e62b.jpg

Loan Forgiveness Program Improves

gpmartinson October 14, 2021
 

Thanks to the work of our members and our state and national union, major changes  to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program were recently announced.  We are celebrating the incredible news that one of the loan forgiveness programs our members depend on but that is exceptionally hard to qualify for has just gotten easier to access thanks to decisive action by the Biden Administration and thanks to tireless advocacy from our members and our national affiliates. Public Service Loan Forgiveness is getting some incredibly necessary changes that will be in place for the next year.
 
The Department of Education announced that they are providing a temporary waiver to some of the requirements that have been most difficult for borrowers to meet, frequently because of the inaction or misconduct of loan servicers, who you will recall now have to meet much higher standards in Minnesota after we passed our Student Borrowers Bill of Rights this June.
 
A great article on this from NPR helps to explain what was announced: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/06/1043332307/public-service-loan-forgiveness-education-department-overhaul
 
In order to ensure that our members have the most current information and support in accessing this opportunity, Education Minnesota will hold a webinar at our upcoming MEA conference Thursday, Oct. 21 covering this news and how folks can access this expanded PSLF opportunity:
 
NEW offering! Expanded Loan Forgiveness for Educators: Unpacking New Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program has always sounded simple: work in the public sector, pay your loans for 10 years, get the rest forgiven tax free. But every borrower who has interacted with the program knows that it’s anything but simple. The Department of Education has recently announced sweeping changes to the program that will make it easier to qualify and easier to achieve forgiveness. This live Zoom session will cover what we know about the new rules, offer specific guidance on how to access the loan forgiveness, and update participants on the overall student loan landscape.
1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 21
REGISTER HERE
 
As ever, please continue to ask your very good questions via [email protected].
 
Your union membership made this possible; our national partners at the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association have relentlessly pushed the Department of Education to make good on their commitments to public educators and our public sector union family. Thank you for making many new opportunities possible for current and future educators!



    Education Minnesota, 41 Sherburne Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103 | 651-227-9541 | 800-652-9073
Education Minnesota is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers,
National Education Association and AFL-CIO.www.educationminnesota.org |  Update email | Privacy policy | Contact us | Unsubscribe
Registration is now open for the 2021 MEA conference!

Registration is now open for the 2021 MEA conference!

gpmartinson September 24, 2021

Education Minnesota’s 2021 MEA conference will be hybrid this year!   

Attend in-person Oct. 21 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre to check out our lineup of 65 workshops and dozens of educational exhibits. Or you can log on from home to watch the general session and about a dozen select sessions virtually.  

New relicensure courses will also be available on Education Minnesota’s MEA Online for members to complete at their own pace. Courses at MEA and MEA Online are always free to active Education Minnesota members.  

In-person and virtual livestream attendance is limited, so register early! In order to create a safe in-person learning environment, Education Minnesota will require proof of vaccination before registering, masking for all attendees, regardless of vaccination status, and social distancing. Deadline to register is Oct. 19. 

There will be NO CHILD CARE available this year due to ongoing COVID concerns. QUICK FACTSWhen: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 Where: Saint Paul RiverCentre; some live sessions will be available via webinar. Admission: Free and open to Education Minnesota members and aspiring educators only. Registration: edmn.me/mea2021 General session: 9-10:30 a.m.  Workshops: 10:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.   Exhibits: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
2021 Minnesota Legislature Wrap-up

2021 Minnesota Legislature Wrap-up

gpmartinson September 1, 2021

hanges by the 2021 Legislature will affect your work as an educator and a union member.

On Thursday, July 15, our lobbyists and education experts went live via Zoom to explain what happened — and what didn’t — on these issues and more:

  • Funding
  • Licensure
  • Higher ed
  • ESP issues
  • Education debt
  • Recruiting and retaining educators of color

Couldn’t make the live Q&A? Watch it below:

Teacher/Leaders from EM-R Present their results

Teacher/Leaders from EM-R Present their results

gpmartinson May 24, 2021

Roseville was one of a handful of districts across the country participating in the AFT’s Teacher Leader Program.  Congratulations to the six EM-R members who formed a cohort and recently completed the program.  Much thanks also to Jodi Kyllonene, the group facilitator.  As part of the course culmination, the six participants developed and presented an action research project and the links to these projects can be found below:  

Brooks Hidaka, RAHS “Public School Funding” https://youtu.be/4PCK7Ck9QkY

Shauna Kidimu, Harambee “Positive Impact of Restorative Practices” https://youtu.be/_eYQeHWIUe4

Anne Robenhorst & Brittany Stahlman, RAHS “Underrepresented Students in Advanced Classes” https://youtu.be/vnmsT9951qE

Ken Henry, RAHS “The Role of Student Voice in District Class Size Policy” https://youtu.be/6-KqjmjPpTo

Jessica Prenzlow-Morgan, Harambee “Class Sizes: Enough Already!” https://youtu.be/Co95btHjxU0

Rally at the Capital–Note time Change

Rally at the Capital–Note time Change

gpmartinson May 11, 2021
State funding for our public schools hasn’t kept pace with inflation — it’s at least 11.8 percent less than in 2003 in real dollars. Now, many districts are cutting budgets and laying off staff once again.

It’s past time to raise the revenue we need to fully fund our schools.

Join hundreds of educators and community members for a fun, family-friendly rally to fund public education!We Make MN Rally: Fund Our Futures
2 p.m., Saturday, May 15
Leif Erikson Park 
(Minnesota Capitol grounds, on the north side of the State Office Building, at the intersection of University Ave. and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.)
Sign up now!Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders are expected to attend. Mileage and meals will be reimbursed.
Join us May 15 to rally for public education!

Join us May 15 to rally for public education!

gpmartinson May 5, 2021

Join us May 15 to rally for public education!
Gov. Tim Walz and House DFL leaders are taking strong first steps this session toward fully funding our schools, increasing state aid by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Senate Republicans? Not so much. Their plan puts no new money on the general formula, siphons money from public schools via vouchers and will force districts to make harmful budget cuts and lay off staff.

Join hundreds of Minnesota educators and community members at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 15 at the state Capitol for a fun, family-friendly rally to support public education.

Sign up now!

You may have missed

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

Mid-March Update

gpmartinson March 30, 2026

February Update

gpmartinson March 19, 2026