A long predicted shortage of K-12 teachers has arrived and MREA has been working to raise awareness about this quiet crisis and bring forward a solution for Minnesota. HF645, sponsored by Rep. Deb Kiel (R-Crookston), proposes to streamline the process so teachers who are licensed out-of-state can teach in Minnesota classrooms. The bill would go a long way toward helping communities … Read More
Eliminating Tests for Students?
The Testing Reduction Advisory Group recently released its recommendations that include streamlining the required number of tests students must take in order to graduate from high school. HF1392, sponsored by Rep. Peggy Bennett (R-Albert Lea), contains similar goals, but it takes the added step of eliminating the requirement that students must take the ACT in order to graduate. Instead, its … Read More
Teacher Layoffs Debate Hits Senate
The Senate Education Committee heard two days of testimony this week on bills to streamline the teacher licensing process and require districts to use teacher performance, not seniority, as the primary factor in staffing decisions. The bills overhaul how the state licenses teachers and how school leaders make staffing decisions such as teacher layoffs. Districts typically use a “last in, … Read More
MREA Presents Facility Fallout Solution
MREA is gaining support for a facility fallout solution that would address the deferred maintenance funding inequities in Minnesota. The inequities between the Alternative Facility school districts (large metro primarily) and all others is well documented. Legislators of all stripes have at the tip of their tongue the $2.79 per square foot versus $0.58 per square foot differential in spending power … Read More
MREA Testifies on Loan Forgiveness Program
MREA testified this week in support of establishing a loan forgiveness program for newly licensed teachers in identified teacher shortage areas. The program would be available for up to five years. The House Education Innovation Policy Committee on Tuesday heard HF1170 sponsored by Rep. Peggy Bennett (R-Albert Lea). SF759 is the companion bill sponsored by Sen. Vicki Jensen (DFL-Albert Lea). It appropriates … Read More
Transportation Sparsity Revenue Introduced
Rep. John Persell (DFL-Bemidji) presented a bill last week to cover the cost of pupil transportation for geographically large districts. Transportation sparsity revenue provides additional revenue to school districts based on indexes formed by measuring each districts’ geographic sparsity (pupils per square mile) calculated a few different ways and totals about $64 million per year. This bill creates two adjustment … Read More
Funding Transfers of Early Learning and School Readiness
When Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL-Duluth) presented a bill that would authorize the Barnum school district to transfer money between its ECFE reserved account and its school readiness reserved account, he shared that a statewide bill will follow in the next week or two. MREA has been strongly advocating for these types of bills this session. A special law passed in 2013 … Read More
Concurrent Enrollment Bill Receives Support
A bill that would expand funding for concurrent enrollment and College in the Schools received support in the House and Senate this week. It was presented in House Education Innovation Policy Committee and the Senate E12 Committee. The bill requires participation and expenditure information for career and technical education courses offered as a concurrent enrollment course. It allows 9th and 10th … Read More
Ag2School Maps
MREA developed a series of maps that illustrate the challenges behind the Facility Fallout and the Ag2School Solution. Learn more about Ag2School. This maps are included in this visual slide presentation. View slide handout. View the interactive maps ANTC/APU Increased equalization is not distributed equally across the state. Ag Land Values 20% of districts have at least 75% of ANTC wealth in … Read More
Many Education Bills in the Air
MREA has been especially busy this year advocating on behalf of Greater Minnesota schools. There are a series of bills in the air. Here’s a rundown of what they are by key issue and where they stand at the Capitol as of now. Each includes the bill authors and where possible, links to their text and status at the legislature. … Read More