A silent teacher crisis is at work in schools across Minnesota with rising teacher shortages in certain disciplines and subject matters. The effects are felt most in rural school districts. Principals in rural areas have found it particularly difficult to hire newly licensed teachers in subject areas like math, special education and English as a Second Language. MREA has been … Read More
Governor Dayton: A Legacy of Early Learning
If there was a remaining doubt in your mind about the Governor’s seriousness toward expanding universal four-year old preschool, check out his news release from Friday. It appears Governor Dayton has decided his legacy won’t just be all-day kindergarten but a wholesale expansion four-year-old preschool with an aim of making it a universal program in a few short years. Questions … Read More
Omnibus Education Policy Bills Advance
The Senate E12 Committee dug the Senate’s omnibus education bill, SF1495, last week. Along with several other items, the bill from Chairman Wiger would ease the requirement for teachers who have not passed the required basic skills test. They would be able to obtain up to four, rather than the current two, one-year temporary teaching licenses, and the bill requires a streamlined … Read More
Raise Voice on School Calendar Flexibility
With the late start to school next September, many local school districts have requested flexibility from their legislators for the next school year start date. Earlier Start More than 40 school districts have told MREA their school boards passed resolutions requesting the ability to start school before Labor Day in 2015. The Senate’s omnibus education policy bill (SF 1495) grants … Read More
Districts to Receive New AMI Education Funding
Governor Dayton dedicated a total of $14.8 million in his supplemental budget for new American Indian (AMI) educational support for the 2016-17 school year. Learn where AMI Students are in Minnesota MREA has learned that every school district, charter school, and BIA school that enrolls 20 or more AMI students will receive a base of $20,000 and a concentration factor of $405 … Read More
Governor Calls for Every Child in Preschool
ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota could be among the first states in the country to offer free, full-day early learning programs for every four-year-old – if a proposal from Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Senate becomes law this session. If passed, the proposal would allow an estimated 47,300 students to attend preschool in the program’s first year of operation. … Read More
House Reauthorization Stalls in Washington
The National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition (NREAC) in Washington reports that the House reauthorization has stalled. H.R. 5 is currently being held. Republican members are being pressured to vote against the bill, and Democrats are expected to oppose the bill as written. The Senate is still working on a bipartisan bill. The current schedule is to mark up the bill in committee the … Read More
Budget Plans Begin to Hatch
As the policy deadlines loom the discussion about respective budget plans is starting to emerge. With a $1.9 billion surplus in hand the debate about education should be a matter of how much and where to spend it. The House Ways & Means Committee meets Monday morning to take testimony on what should be the upper limits of spending by … Read More
Education Policy Shaping Up As Deadlines Loom
March madness is in full swing at the state Capitol. This Monday marks the beginning of the first bill deadline. By Friday policy bills must clear their respective policy committees in order to be viable to continue on this session. Traditionally there’s an omnibus education policy bill and that’s true this year as well. The House and Senate education policy … Read More
Inside the Education Technical Policy Bill
The House Education Innovation Policy Committee on Thursday began dissecting HF1591, sponsored by Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton). The proposed legislation serves as the Minnesota Department of Education’s policy bill and contains a number of wide-ranging proposed policy reforms brought forward by Department Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. Its companion, SF1495, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-Maplewood), was heard Wednesday in the Senate … Read More