Legislators were appointed last week to the committee that will negotiate many of the details of the education finance and policy provisions that have survived the process thus far and provide a shared plan for a final vote. Rep. Jennifer Loon (GOP-Eden Prairie) and Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-North St. Paul) will serve as co-chairs of the Education Conference Committee. View MREA’s side-by-side … Read More
Districts Face Cuts With 1&1 Funding Proposal
From Canby and Caledonia to Fergus Falls and Breckenridge, MREA members are speaking out and asking for more regarding the Minnesota legislature’s proposed general education funding increase of 1 percent each of the next two years (commonly referred to as “1&1 on the formula”). Letters to newspaper editors and community members from rural school administrators across Minnesota indicate teacher cuts, fewer class electives, and … Read More
Big Education Issues at Play
Both the Senate and the House have approved their education plan and the Education Conference Committee has been appointed to negotiate and develop the final education plan for Minnesota. View the Committee members. Here’s a look at the big issues at play: The Formula Stuck at ‘1&1’ or less, the proposed investments in the basic formula are still too low … Read More
Get Economist's Perspective on Early Learning at Conference
Two economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis proposed over a decade ago that any economic development plan needed to place early childhood development at the top of its strategies because it provided a huge economic return on investment (ROI). To give rural educators and school board members an economist’s perspective on investing in early learning, Rob Grunewald will share his and Art Rolnick’s work at MREA’s … Read More
What's in House, Senate Education Bills?
The House passed its omnibus education bill on Saturday after heavy criticism about it falling short of what is needed for education in Minnesota. The Senate omnibus education budget bill (SF 811) is expected to be heard – and passed in some form – on the floor on Wednesday. The Senate bill includes a variety of provisions to support education. View … Read More
Understanding Brain Development & Early Learning
Research on early brain development is exponentially expanding with striking implications for early learning. To help rural educators be at the cutting edge of early learning in their community, Drs. Kathleen Thomas and Michele Mazzocco will give you a look inside the brain and the development of reasoning at MREA’s 2015 Annual Conference. The conference on“Great Beginnings: When Learning Starts Early, Inspires and Applies” will … Read More
Commissioner Talks Issues with MREA Board
Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius talked about issues that affect Greater Minnesota schools with the MREA Board of Directors on Thursday. Commissioner Cassellius shared her hopes for the session and the challenges still ahead. During the morning discussion, the Commissioner and MREA Board members reviewed a variety of issues ranging from teacher shortages and the restrictive Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exam … Read More
E-12 Plans Advance In House, Senate
The House and Senate Education finance committees last week unveiled their omnibus bills and passed them out of their respective committees. Each bill has a few more stops before full debate in front of the House and Senate and then onto conference committee. MREA created a side-by-side comparison of the funding and policy issues currently being debated at the Capitol related … Read More
MREA Calls for Fall Conference Proposals
MREA is now accepting presentation proposals for its 2015 Annual Conference, Great Beginnings: When Learning Starts Early, Inspires, Applies. The conference will be held Sunday-Tuesday, November 15-17, at Cragun’s Resort near Brainerd. The deadline to submit a proposal is 5 pm Wednesday, June 3. Learn more about submitting a proposal. Share Effective Practices The 2015 MREA Annual Conference is a chance to share an effective practice … Read More
MREA Announces Conference Keynote
The importance of early childhood education to the state and nation’s futures has taken center stage recently, with Governor Dayton and President Obama proposing funding to provide more young children with stimulating early learning environments. The U.S. Department of Education also just released a report showing the need for high-quality public preschool education options across the nation. To prepare for this increased focus on early learning, join MREA … Read More