By Sam Walseth, MREA Director of Legislative Affairs Governor Mark Dayton’s release of his 2016-17 budget plan last Tuesday has set the stage for the budget battle that will consume the remainder of the 2015 session. The public’s role — our role — in this process is going to fade sooner than we know it. Now is the time to engage … Read More
What Proposed Phy Ed Legislation Means for Schools
A bill on increasing physical education requirements, introduced by Sen. Susan Kent, DFL Woodbury, caught some media attention last week. MREA raised a series of concerns about SF 343 in its testimony to Senate E-12 Committee last Thursday. Nobody doubts the importance of physical education — and promoting healthy lifestyles with students. MREA questions the wisdom of the mandates contained … Read More
Governor Releases Education Plan
Governor Dayton released his proposed budget for the FY 16-17 biennium that would invest $343 million in education. Here’s a look inside the Governor’s plan for education: An increase to the general education formula by 1 percent in each year of the biennium, for a total cost of $174.4 million. Providing $109 million to expand four-year old preschool across the state. The Governor’s plan … Read More
Gaining School Calendar Flexibility in 2015
Recently, there has been considerable discussion about school district flexibility in creating school year calendars given the late Labor Day holiday and start dates for 2015, 2016 and 2017. If this is a concern in your district, MREA recommends your school board to adopt a resolution to start school before September 8, 2015, and to request legislators to enter a bill on behalf of the school … Read More
Thanks for Visiting MREA at MSBA
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the MREA booth at the MSBA Leadership Conference last week. Representatives from 65 MREA member schools visited with MREA Board members Luther Heller, Todd Holthaus, Marvin Kleven, Chris Mills, Patty Stangl, and Mike Vasek at the booth and at the Regional Center Advisory Committee meeting. Members shared how much they are looking forward to the Annual Conference next … Read More
State Legislature: Open for the People’s Business
By Sam Walseth, MREA Director of Legislative Affairs The 2015 session is officially underway. While the odd-numbered year, budget-setting session starts off slowly, it will pick up steam and go by very quickly. The legislature will be dividing up limited pots of money before we know it. View the first set of bills introduced in the House and the Senate. … Read More
MREA Testifies Before Senate E-12 on Key Issues
The newly merged Senate E-12 & Policy committee met last Thursday and took testimony from about 30 different organizations representing a wide variety of education interests. MREA Director of Legislative ActionSam Walseth was among the first to testify and asked the committee to go big on an E-12 investment this year. Walseth noted the budget forecast indicates that Health & … Read More