Both the House and Senate Education Committees heard bills that would give districts more flexibility in allocating their compensatory revenue accounts. The House Education Finance Committee heard two bills on Tuesday. HF567 is sponsored by Rep. Anna Wills (R-Apple Valley) and HF1222 is sponsored by Jerry Hertaus (R-Greenfield). Compensatory revenue is the second largest component of general education revenue after the basic … Read More
Bill to Improve IEP Process for Special Education
Key legislation has been presented to repeal a law that requires the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to contract for a single vendor for the IEP (Individualized Education Plan). HF 804 and SF 740 would instead require schools districts to contract with vendors for seamless transference of records. View issue brief. Currently 85 percent of school districts in Minnesota use the same system … Read More
March Madness Ignites with $1.9 Billion Surplus
Minnesotans received positive news about their state budget on Friday from the February budget forecast. Last December the state projected a surplus for the next two years (fiscal years 16-17) of $1.04 billion. The updated forecast now estimates a surplus of $1.87 million. The $832 million in projected growth is largely due to a expected increases in income and sales tax … Read More
Counting Computer Science as Math Credit
HF672, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth), would allow students to satisfy a math credit required for high school graduation by taking a computer science course that meets state math standards. The bill was laid over Tuesday by the House Education Innovation Policy Committee for possible omnibus bill inclusion. It has no Senate companion. Officials from the Minnesota Department of Education … Read More
Leadership Academy Proposal Presented in Senate
The Senate E-12 Committee reviewed a bill last week that would provide professional development programs to school principals and other school leaders in school districts and charter schools. The bill establishes a Principals Leadership Academy at the University of Minnesota, instead of at the Minnesota State University Mankato. SF524, sponsored by Sen. Greg Clausen (DFL-Apple Valley), was laid over for possible … Read More
Reading Corp Bills Introduced
Legislators have brought forward legislation that would infuse additional funding into the Minnesota Reading Corps program. The bills were among the legislation reviewed last Tuesday by the House Education Finance Committee for possible inclusion in Chair Jenifer Loon’s future education omnibus bill. The other bills are related to school readiness and home visiting for parent education. Rep. Anna Wills (R-Apple … Read More
Salute to Administrators of Excellence
MREA thanks and salutes its member superintendents who were recently selected as Administrators of Excellence by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA). These professionals are being recognized for their leadership, concern for students, and active involvement in educational and community affairs: Joseph Brown, Sr., Superintendent, Fairmont Area Schools David Fjeldheim, Superintendent, Sebeka Schools James Guetter, Superintendent, Red Lake County Central and Red Lake Falls Schools … Read More
DEED Awards Broadband Grants
MREA commends the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and all those in rural Minnesota who worked to secure state grants totaling $19.4 million from the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program. DEED recently awarded the funding from the program, which Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law in May of 2014. The grants will help 17 entities in Minnesota develop … Read More
New Bills Introduce Rural STEM Project
MREA commends Senator Tom Saxhaug (District 05) and Representative Jeff Backer (District 12A) for introducing legislation to provide funding for the Rural STEM Experiential Learning Pilot Project: “Put 21st Century Tools in Kids’ Hands!” (SF 471/HF 555). The bills provide for one-time funding to start two consortiums of school districts in West Central Minnesota and North East/East Central Minnesota. The consortiums will develop and … Read More
Bills Introduced to Change School Building Debt Service Tax Bases
by Sam Walseth, Director of Legislative Action A group of legislators and farm organizations held a news conference on Thursday to introduce the HF 596 and SF 576 bills, which would change the local government tax base for all future school building debt service levies from Adjusted Net Tax Capacity (ANTC) to Referendum Market Value (RMV). This is being commonly referred … Read More