How do we recruit and retain the teachers we need to prepare the World’s Best Workforce? This is an essential question for the next decade in Minnesota and across the nation. MREA released a report on Minnesota’s teacher crisis to provide background and guidance on the issue for policy makers, advocates and educational leaders. Download the guide below. MREA identifies these … Read More
Teacher Recruitment and Retention Becomes Key Issue at Legislature
“This is our No. 1 priority” is how Senate E-12 Education Committee Chair Charles Wiger characterized the nearly three hours of testimony Tuesday for eight bills addressing teacher recruitment and retention. “The Teacher Shortage Act” heard by the Senate last week included a variety of efforts to address the state’s teacher crisis and attract and retain quality teachers. SF2513, sponsored by … Read More
Map Shows Q Comp Participation Growth
Where are the districts that have schools with Q Comp? Which districts have added Q Comp since the Legislature raised the funding cap to $88.118 million last year? MREA released a map today to answer these questions. A thumbnail is below. View the interactive map. The 99 Minnesota school districts shown on this map as well as the 69 charter schools … Read More
Legislative Tensions Rose: Issues Update
The Legislative on Thursday resolved two issues that had been causing tensions to rise just before they left for a short Easter Break. The issues included extending unemployment benefits to laid off mining workers on the Iron Range and reducing unemployment insurance premiums for Minnesota businesses. DFLer wanted a clean bill to extend benefits and GOP members wanted relief for businesses … Read More
Judge Disapproves Proposed Achievement and Integration Rules
Every part of the Minnesota Department of Education’s proposed Achievement and Integration Rules (A & I) was disapproved by Administrative Law Judge Ann C. O’Reilly in her report issued last week. MDE now needs to decide whether to make changes and resubmit the rule or withdraw it in its entirety. View the full report. The January Hearing for the proposed rule … Read More
Bill Introduced to Fund Costs for More College Entrance Exams
Minnesota currently reimburses school districts for exam fees for students who take the ACT. HF3013, sponsored by Rep. Drew Christensen (R-Burnsville), would allow these funds to be available to districts for students who take the SAT or another college entrance exam. “This bill clarifies the budget language to ensure other nationally recognized college entrance exams can be reimbursed, essentially to … Read More
Budget Forecast Retracts to $900 Million
The updated state budget forecast released today reveals a slight retraction in the $1.2 billion surplus initially projected as of December to $900 million, according to Minnesota Management and Budget. Legislative leaders now have to grapple with the budget news as they head into session on March 8. The competition for tax cuts, transportation spending and early learning funding just got more … Read More
Auditor Report Coming on Teacher Licensure Process
The Office of Legislative Auditor (OLA) on March 4 will release a report on the Board of Teaching and Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) licensure process. Under current law, the BOT determines what qualifications teacher candidates need to receive a license and then applications are processed by MDE. These are the issues the OLA has been investigating and will report on: … Read More
Report on Fairer State Share for Facilities Released
Minnesota has set a goal is to educate the 21st Century’s World’s Best Workforce. That will require 21st Century learning environments, yet 50 percent of our school facilities were built before 1976, prior to the digital revolution. In 288 school districts, local property taxpayers pay 100 percent of new or remodeled facilities. MREA released a report today outlining the challenges and … Read More
Minnesota BOT Changes Prompts Joint Hearing
The House Education Policy and Finance Committees met last week as a part of a joint hearing to receive an update from the Minnesota Board of Teaching on a series of proposed rule changes stemming from a Ramsey County court order and pressure to act on recently enacted legislation. The Ramsey County court ruled last month that the BOT was in … Read More