Citizens for Eden Prairie Schools: How You Can Help

Join our email tree! You will receive updates on specific legislative initiatives and be notified of key times to contact your legislators. You will also be notified of our monthly meetings via e-mail and this website.

We welcome new membership!
Volunteers are needed for:

Letter writing
School site liaisons
Research and communication
Legislative bill tracking
Fundraising
Statewide outreach

For volunteer information or questions, email info@citizensforepschools.org.

CEPS is completely a volunteer effort. We have costs to maintain this website, print informational handouts and miscl. mailing costs during the legislative session. Please support the efforts of CEPS by making a financial contribution. Checks made out to Citizens for Eden Prairie Schools can be sent to John Estall, Treasurer, 7404 Hames Way, Eden Prairie, MN 55346.

Write to your legislator now!
Tell them how recent budget cuts have affected your child's public education.

Some suggested statements to use:

"A 3% increase per year is needed to maintain current programming in our schools."
"We support the increase in the local levy cap proposed by Governor Pawlenty!"
"Legislative mandates like special education need to be fully funded!"
"Please restore funding to Early Childhood and Kindergarten Readiness programs!"
If you support raising state taxes to assure funding for schools, tell them so!

Some facts to help fuel your thoughts:

*Even though per capita income in Minnesota is rising faster than the national average, Minnesota has fallen below the national average in per pupil spending for K-12 education for the first time in 35 years! (Recent study by the US Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics).

*Eden Prairie ranks 96th out of 111 metropolitan communities for total school taxes. (2004 Property Tax Report, www.citizensleague.net)

*Eden Prairie ranks 157th out of 168 MN districts for class size. (www.osa.state.mn.us).

Government Representative contact information for Eden Prairie

District 42B
Majority Leader Erik Paulsen
309 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7449
Rep.erik.paulsen@house.mn

District 42A
Representative Maria Ruud
515 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3964
rep.maria.ruud@house.mn

District 42
Senator David Hann
State Office Building, Room 127
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-1749
Sen.david.hann@senate.mn

Governor Tim Pawlenty
Office of the Governor
30 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3391
tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us

Tell them your story/concern! How does this affect YOU! Ask them to support our goals. But most of all, ask them how we can help them find a successful long term funding solution for Eden Prairie Schools. A quality education system is a benefit to all of us. Together, we can find the solution.