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
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
A Few Surprises in Testing Reform in Minnesota
There are always surprises and possible unintended consequences in newly enacted legislation. One example is the noble goal of reducing the amount of testing time by students. While curbing the time students spend on standardized testing is an almost universally supported idea, to achieve this goal the Minnesota Legislature reduced the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) testing budget in half. This … 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
Special Session Plans
On Friday, the House Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee held a joint hearing to review four bills that are paving the way to a special session. Included in this package of bills is the new and improved E-12 bill that contains $525 million in new spending on a variety of education initiatives over the next two years. The … Read More
Talks Continue: Universal Pre-K Dead
An agreement on the outstanding education issues is elusive after Gov. Mark Dayton and House Speaker Kurt Daudt met four days in a row last week. One thing Gov. Dayton and Speaker Daudt agreed to quickly is that the Special Session would be held in the State Office Building. Several hearing rooms are large enough to hold each body, it is … Read More
GOP Counters Dayton's K-12 Education Offer
The GOP on Friday afternoon countered Gov. Mark Dayton’s initial proposal for a K-12 education agreement for a special session. View the Governor’s priorities. The GOP’s offer includes starting with HF844 as vetoed and add: $125 million additional spending for FY 16/17 for: Formula to 2 percent increase each year (2&2) Increase School Readiness Funding by $21.5 million (for total of … Read More