MREA released today highlights of the K-12 Omnibus Bill for funding, taxes and policies. Here’s what you need to know regarding funding: (View all the statewide totals and all statewide changes.) … Read More
Legislature Establishes New Task Forces & Working Groups
The Legislature has established seven new task forces and working groups to continue to address key issues in education. These groups include: Career Pathways and Technical Education Advisory Task Force Adult High School Diploma Task Force Teacher Licensing Advisory Task Force Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council School Facilities Financing Working Group Special Education Case Load Task Force Minnesota Youth … Read More
Early Learning Scholarships: Where will they go?
MREA released a map today illustrating where the projected Early Learning Scholarships discussed at the Legislature would go in the coming school year. A thumbnail is below. Click to view the interactive map. Minnesota is poised to begin an Early Learning Scholarship program for children whose family income is less than 185% of federal poverty level. MREA anticipates that about 6,000 … Read More
Bullying Policy: No More Checkerboard
By Vernae Hasbargen, MREA Lobbyist With Democrats in control of House, Senate, and Governor’s office, Republicans stood ready to accuse them of “overreaching” this year on their tax and spending proposals. Yet from the Governor’s initial budget in January to the final legislative targets released this weekend, the charge has had a hard time sticking because of the relatively small amount targeted … Read More
New Accounting Measures
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist Beyond the macro level funding issues at stake for schools are new methods of how dollars will be distributed. Integration funding will be distributed in a new fashion and districts currently receiving integration revenue can expect to continue receiving about 90 percent of that revenue.The Senate has also brought a new set of pupil weightings … Read More
New State Accountability Measures
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist House E-12 Chairman Marquart wants a new accountability measure for school district academic performance. He isn’t asking for a new test, but in order to close the achievement gap and create “the world’s best workforce,” he is proposing a new section of law that would require school boards to set academic and other student performance … Read More
Last Week of Session: What to Expect
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist At midnight one week from Monday, the 2013 regular session must close. Legislative leaders worked over the weekend negotiating budget targets with each other and we expect that sometime today to see those targets. Conference committee targets are it. Once announced, there’s no going back. Whatever leadership announces is what the various conference committees have … Read More
E-12 Budget Possibilities
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist As the revenue debate comes into focus so does a reality check on the likelihood of education funding for the next two years. A couple of things seems almost certain. First, about $45 million will be spent on early childhood scholarships in the next two years. Second, all day, every day kindergarten will become a … Read More
Revenue Debate Comes into Focus
By Sam Walseth, MREA lobbyist After two grueling floor debates, the House and Senate passed their omnibus tax bills. The bills raise the revenue needed to close the projected $627 million deficit and increase spending in priority areas for the DFL majorities next biennium. The House tax bill creates a new fourth tier income tax rate of 8.49% on household … Read More
Closing the 5th-95th Gap through Equity, Equalization & Education Advancement
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist On the equity front, there are two really good proposals in play right now. House Education Chair Paul Marquart spends $30 million on an ‘enhanced equity’ formula for districts with less than $300/pupil in operating referendum authority. This would be an aid/levy revenue program. Combined with another $30 million in new referendum equalization aid, the … Read More