While the legislature took a major step forward in 2015 to assist rural districts with long term maintenance needs, most rural districts face major hurdles to building new or remodeling old facilities due to tax base issues related to agricultural production land values. In addition to facility maintenance, construction and remodeling costs, rural district leaders have cited improving school technology … Read More
Facility Fallout Bills
There are a series of options under legislative consideration to address the facility fallout in Minnesota and improve equity in facility and technology funding for our state’s schools in 2016 – and beyond. Learn more about the Facility Fallout. The School Facilities Task Force report from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is still viable. Several bills have been introduced … Read More
MREA Hosts Area Meetings on Key Topics
MREA will host 10 Area Meetings this fall to gather input on the issues that matter most to Greater Minnesota schools. Information from these meetings will be used to build MREA’s platform for the 2016 legislative session. The 2015 Area Meetings will be held in August and September at schools across the state, from Blue Earth to Thief River Falls. Teachers, … Read More
Facility Maintenance Funding Webinar Available
Staff from the Minnesota Department of Education detailed in a July 23 webinar the planning process and requirements for the new Long-Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) funding program. Nearly 100 school district officials participated in the webinar hosted by MREA. The panel of presenters was lead by MDE staff Dale Sundstrom, Terri Yetter, and Lonn Moe along with Cromwell-Wright Superintendent Ron … Read More
District's Next Steps for Facility Funding
Receiving the additional Long Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) funding approved this past session requires a comprehensive level of planning. That planning will need to cover facility maintenance, health and safety, and accessibility issues for the district’s buildings and campuses. Districts need to do this planning, at least in rough terms by August 14 with Board approval by Sept. 30 in order to … Read More
Long-Term Facility Maintenance: Fast Footwork Needed Ahead
The new Long-Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) program to close funding disparities between the largest school districts and rural districts was among the major victories this past legislative session. To use this new authority now enacted in law, districts and facilities personnel need to work quickly this summer: The MDE should release soon a template for developing a 10-year facilities maintenance plan. The … Read More
MDE Releases Look Up Table on Impacts
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) just released the FY ’16 and ’17 runs and look up table based on the results of the 2015 special session signed education bill. MREA downloaded the report and makes it easily accessible here: View the impact on your school. School districts can see the financial impact the bill has on their respective districts by putting their … Read More
Long-Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) Equalized Levy Webinar Now Available
More than 80 member superintendents and business managers joined on online meeting June 29 to learn about new levy legislation passed during the MN Legislature 2015 Special Session. MREA hosted the session on the new Long-Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) board-authorized equalized levy. The meeting featured a great lineup of experts: Tom Melcher, MDE School Finance Division Greg Crowe, Ehlers, Inc. Mike Hoheisel, Robert W. Baird … Read More
Governor Signs E-12 Bill into Law
The special session of the Minnesota Legislature ended over the weekend and the Governor Dayton has signed all of the special session bills into law. The E-12 bill, now Chapter 3 of the 2015 Special Session (SS HF 1 for those who want to look it up) provides $525 million for E-12 schools over the next two years. View details by issue. Overall the … Read More
New, Improved E-12 Bill Unveiled
On Friday, a new and improved $525 million E-12 bill emerged for approval during an upcoming special session. This bill includes 2&2 on the formula, more money in existing early learning programs like scholarships and school readiness and a major expansion of American Indian Education funding. Statewide access to an equalized levy for deferred maintenance funding stayed in the final … Read More