The 2013 Distinguished Service Award recipients demonstrate legislative leadership at its best. They addressed a significant state-wide problem, without a direct self-interest, and to assemble and hold together a coalition of legislators to pass significant legislation that changes and improves the direction and outcomes of education for Minnesota. Pictured (left from right): Mike Vasek, vice chair of the MREA Board … Read More
Election Results for MREA Members
Congratulations to the member districts whose voters approved operating referendum and bond questions last week, and empathy and sympathy to those whose voters did not. We all have been on both sides the Wednesday after an election. 22 member districts voters approved operating referendums last Tuesday of the 26 who put questions to the voters. 86% of member operating referendum questions passed. … Read More
Dibb To Speak On World's Best Workforce Requirements
Steve Dibb, assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education, will give educators, administrators and school board members an inside look at what all the legislative talk about creating the “World’s Best Workforce” is all about during a session at the MREA Annual Conference on Nov. 18. Hailed as the capstone of a historic session for education in Minnesota, the K-12 … Read More
MREA Releases Map on Facility Maintenance Funding Disparity
The Facility Task Force has identified issues of concern surrounding facility funding. One that’s been highlighted is the inequity that has grown between the 25 districts qualifying for the alternative facilities bonding program and the more than 300 who done don’t. The inequities have grown so large that these 25 spend $2.79 per square foot and all the other districts … Read More
Alternative Bonding and Growing Inequity
By Sam Walseth, MREA Director of Legislative Affairs The state Task Force has identified issues of concern surrounding facility funding. One that’s been highlighted is the inequity that has grown between the 25 districts qualifying for the alternative facilities bonding program and the more than 300 that don’t. The inequities have grown so large that these 25 spend $2.79 per … Read More
Facilities Task Force Considers Big Policy Changes
By Vernae Hasbargen If there was one key reason for the E-12 funding changes passed in the last session, it was one person – Tom Melcher, Director of School Finance in the Minnesota Department of Education. Actually make that 27 key people who were part of a working group headed by Melcher and charged with making E-12 funding more adequate and … Read More
MREA Seeks Platform Approval at Conference
Thank you to MREA members who contributed to the platform formation at the Area Meetings in August and September. The facts and situations shared shaped the drafting of MREA’s 2014 platform. Two of the key areas raised by members during the meetings and being formulated in the platform include teacher quality and availability, and expanding education opportunities and closing the … Read More
Fixing the “Donut Hole” Inequity: Advocacy 101
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist School officials from around Greater Minnesota are fast becoming familiar with the term “donut hole” and what it means for 132 districts and their 147,000 students in this state. For those who aren’t yet aware, the “donut hole” makes up about a third of the state’s districts who don’t qualify for either the Small Schools … Read More
State Finished in Black: School Cash Flow Improves to 90/10
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist When campaigning last fall, the soon-to-be newly elected House DFL majority promised voters they would repay the school aid payment shift in full. This was a big promise and a daunting task, both fiscally and politically. Over $2.1 billion had been borrowed from schools through the “Great Recession” to help balance the state’s books. Before … Read More
Inside General Education Revenue for Student Achievement
The 2013 legislative session will be remembered for a few important education finance and policy reforms. All day kindergarten funding became a reality, the GRAD rule was retired from the statute books, school boards gained some ability to levy operating funds and equalization for operating levies was enhanced. Amidst these changes it was easy to miss another potential game changing … Read More