MREA Board Proposes 2017 Legislative Platform to Members

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues

The MREA Board of Directors will bring a proposed legislative platform of issues for 2017 to members for review and approval next week at the Annual Meeting. Funding to cover operating costs of high quality education, expanding voluntary Pre-K, and addressing the Facility Fallout with Ag2School and increased Debt Service Equalization are among the seven key issues for Greater Minnesota … Read More

Election: 33 Greater Minnesota School Districts Pose Ballot Questions

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues, Facility Fallout

  On Tuesday, 33 school districts in Greater Minnesota are hoping their communities support their ballot initiatives for operating dollars or bonds for facilities. MREA wishes them all success in their ballot initiatives. Operating Referendums The Operative Referenda questions break down as follows, according to MSBA data: 28 School Districts running Operating Referendums 19 are increases (9 are renewals) 24 … Read More

State Legislative Election: What to Expect

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues

Thanks to new early voting laws, thousands of Minnesotans have already voted ahead of Tuesday’s election. Another 2 million or more are expected to make their ways to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots for President, Congressional seats and all 201 state legislative seats in our state House and Senate. Turnout Final turnout numbers will be interesting to track as Minnesotans … Read More

International Immigration in Rural Minnesota Impacts Schools

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues, Achievement Gap, Opportunity Gap

The Minnesota State Demographic Center’s statistic that Minnesota only maintains a positive migration of 8,000 working-age residents because of an annual influx of 20,000 international migrants became evident during MREA’s statewide tour this fall with superintendents, teachers and school board members. Here are just four examples from MREA member schools: East Grand Forks Superintendent Mike Kolness called a meeting of city, … Read More

Dual Credit Focus of Nov. 5 Meeting

mreaadmin2016 Legislative Issues, 2017 Legislative Issues, Career and College Readiness

Minnesota parents and educators – some of whom are deeply frustrated about obstacles being created for students who want to take dual-credit courses – are meeting 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 5 in St. Paul. Register to attend. The free meeting, co-sponsored by 25 education, community and business groups, will bring together people seeking ways to overcome resistance and … Read More

Last Chance to Register for MREA Conference

DIANE VOSEN2017 Legislative Issues, Career and College Readiness, Early Learning, Teacher Development, Teacher Shortages

MREA’s 2016 Annual Conference “Making Teaching Matter” is just three weeks away. This week is the last chance to register before procrastinator rates kick in November 1 and registrants pay a late fee when registering. Top Reasons to Register Be part of MREA’s signature annual gathering of 350 education professionals to share knowledge, gather resources, and network. Choose from more than 35 … Read More

New Developments in Concurrent Enrollment Change

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues, Career and College Readiness

MREA applauds Minnesota State for advocating with HLC on the scope of the extension deadline. Minnesota State announced last week in a memo to college presidents that it had engaged with senior HCL staff on the status of teachers who are added to concurrent enrollment agreements after the extension application deadline of Dec. 15, 2016 and prior to the end of the … Read More

Members Provide Input on 2017 Legislative Issues

DIANE VOSEN2017 Legislative Issues, Early Learning, Facility Fallout, Other Rural Issues, Quality Teachers, Teacher Development, Teacher Shortages

More than 120 MREA school board members, administrators and teachers participated in MREA’s Fall Member Meetings over the last month to provide input on issues likely to arise in the 2017 legislative year. The four major issues discussed were: Early Learning Rising early learning needs and attention Quality Teachers Increasing difficulty attracting and retaining quality teachers Funding Student Needs Meeting student needs across the state … Read More

State Decisions Put Concurrent Enrollment At Risk

mreaadmin2017 Legislative Issues, Career and College Readiness

Concurrent enrollment programs across Minnesota are at grave risk due to three recent decisions made by Minnesota State, formerly known as MnSCU. Those decisions came without input from the Minnesota school districts that offer concurrent enrollment programs to students. Maintaining this dual credit option for students will require teachers, administrators, school board members, parents and other education advocates to raise … Read More

MREA to Host Virtual Meetings on Rural School Issues

DIANE VOSEN2017 Legislative Issues, Career and College Readiness, Facility Fallout, Opportunity Gap, Other Rural Issues

MREA will host a series of  On-Point virtual meetings in the next few weeks to gain feedback on specific issues currently impacting our Greater Minnesota schools: Concurrent enrollment and other post-secondary options, funding student needs, and small schools funding. Member feedback from the meetings will form the basis to build MREA’s Legislative Platform for the 2017 legislative session. Teachers, board members, and … Read More