MREA released a today showing the taxpayer effort to raise $1,845 in operating revenue per pupil (RMCPU) in Minnesota. At $1,845 voter approve operating referendum revenue, all the school districts that require above average taxpayer effort are rural Minnesota school districts. The $1,845 represents the current “cap” or maximum allowable referendum per resident pupil applicable to most Minnesota school districts. A … Read More
Legislature Back from Break with Battle Brewing
After taking a spring break last week, the 2013 legislature is about to pick up where they left off. With the policy deadlines behind us, the focus of the session now turns to the major finance committees. Over the next two weeks, these finance committees will work with the budget targets their leaders gave them to come up with omnibus … Read More
Simplifying Pupil Units and Funding Formulas
By Dr. Fred Nolan, MREA Executive Director One major complication in the Minnesota School finance system is the variety of student weightings. These evolved over years of adjustments to increase one grade level of students in relation to others to serve a particular need. The result is to question the premise that all students are equally valued in their education. … Read More
Levy Equalization: Purpose, History and Mechanics Uncovered
Equalization has taken center stage at the legislature for good reason. Minnesota’s Constitution (Article 13) states “it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools… The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state.” The 1993 Minnesota … Read More
Enhancement Revenue to “Un-ring the bell”
By Vernae Hasbargen, MREA lobbyist “I wish I could go back and un-ring the 2003 bell, because I would if I could” is how Skoe described Education Enhancement Revenue (EAR) to the K-12 Committee. What Senator Skoe is referring to is the tax reform agreed to during the final year of the Ventura administration. Ventura wanted to expand sales taxes … Read More
Big Picture Emerges: K-12 Top Priority
By Vernae Hasbargen As legislators finished up their work for an Easter break, their spending priorities reveal what could be the final outcome of the session. Both the House and Senate have chosen to spend $200 m more than the Governor on K-12 because they found his 1% and 3% increases for the next biennium were not enough. Both they … Read More
House and Senate Release Budget Targets
The House and Senate released budget targets last week for all of their finance committees. In the House, the Education Finance committee received the largest target of any committee in the legislature. The House DFL leadership decided to give Chairman Paul Marquart $550 million to spend. Inside Both Plans By comparison, the Senate gave Chairman Chuck Wiger $336 million to … Read More
What's Happening With Education Advancement Revenue
Senator Rod Skoe (DFL Clearbrook) leads the Senate Tax committee and as part of the overall Senate budget plan, he worked to send $150 million of the $463 million in property tax relief to the education budget. Last Thursday, he presented an amended version of SF 177 to the Senate E-12 Budget Division. SF 177, as amended, would combine equalization … Read More
House K-12 Keeps Hopes Alive for Students at Bottom
By Vernae Hasbargen, MREA Lobbyist Facing an important legislative deadline, the House heard the companion bill to Senator Skoe’s Education Enhancement Revenue (SF 576) that brings students at the bottom in education funding up $300. In order for the bill to advance further, it must have been heard in both bodies before their Easter/Passover break. No bill could have more … Read More
Major Education Policy Reforms Survive First Bill Deadline
Last Thursday the House and Senate Education Policy committees put together omnibus education policy bills. Several major reforms made it into those House and Senate policy bills. There are always differences between House and Senate policy positions, but this year those differences are more nuance than substance. Here’s a look at what the current bills would mean: Grad Tests High-stakes … Read More