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NORTHFIELD 鈥� Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan stepped in for Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday and greeted students on the first day of school, in an annual tradition

Flanagan, who visited a school in St. Anthony and later Greenvale Park Elementary in Northfield, is taking on a higher profile as Walz barnstorms the country as the vice presidential nominee for president.

Flanagan served Northfield students cheese pizza, which was a subtle plug for a signature achievement of the Walz-Flanagan administration and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor-controlled Legislature, which passed universal free school meals in 2023.

Flanagan鈥檚 visit comes less than a week after the state released Minnesota students鈥� math and reading scores, which Fewer than half of tested students in the 2023-2024 school year met state proficiency standards in reading and math, which is unchanged from the year prior.

The data indicate Minnesota students have not yet recovered from learning losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flanagan told reporters on Tuesday that the test scores don鈥檛 reflect all the investments the Minnesota Legislature has made into education, particularly toward reading through the Read Act.

In 2023 the DFL-controlled Legislature passed historic education funding, including $75 million for the Read Act, which focuses on phonics, or the sounding out of words. This year the Legislature passed an additional $35 million to support teachers while they learn how to teach the Read Act curriculum.

鈥淚 am confident that those scores are going to go up, and as lieutenant governor I care tremendously about it. But as Siobhan鈥檚 mom, I really care about it,鈥� Flanagan said. 鈥淚 believe there are parents across the state who want to see achievement go up. So do I, and I think we鈥檙e on our way with the investments we鈥檝e made in the last few years.鈥�

The Department of Education last week in a statement said something similar regarding the stagnant test scores.

鈥淟ong-term key investments from the 2023 legislative session are currently being implemented, including the largest funding increase for K-12 education in state history,鈥� the Department of Education said. 鈥淥nce fully implemented, these investments will positively impact students for many years to come.鈥�

In the meantime, Flanagan said that rising attendance rates are an important first step.

鈥淎ttendance is one of those things that we know will help close that gap鈥� I am confident that what we have in place, having kids in school, our incredible educators 鈥� I think test scores will go up. And just encourage our families and encourage our students to get to school. It really, really matters,鈥� Flanagan said.

According to data released last week, about three-quarters of students attended school regularly in 2023, up about 5 percentage points from the prior year. But attendance rates still remain significantly lower than in the years prior to the pandemic, when about 85% of students attended regularly.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com. Follow Minnesota Reformer on and .

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