The U.S. Department of Education recently released a report showing a growing need for high-quality public preschool options across the nation. The report, A Matter of Equity: Preschool in America, shows that of the four million 4-year-olds in the United States, about 60 percent—or nearly 2.5 million—are not enrolled in publicly funded preschool programs, including state preschool programs, Head Start and … Read More
E-12 Funding Bills To Emerge
Just as children are anxious the night before Christmas, so too are education lobbyists who have waited until this point of session to see what House and Senate education leaders have in store for education funding specifics this year. We know the various spending levels: the House is a $157 million and the Senate is now at $361 million. But … Read More
Governor Focuses on Early Education in State of State
In just over 30 minutes on Thursday, Governor Mark Dayton outlined some of the facts and public kudos that point to Minnesota’s economic success among other states. He called upon the legislature to act boldly on education, water quality and transportation. His education comments focused on increased early learning programming and investments. Dayton challenged those who continue to argue taxes are … Read More
School Districts Share Impact of 1&1 Funding
Responding to an MREA survey, 124 school superintendents across Greater Minnesota reported the impact of the proposed 1&1 funding for education would mean larger class sizes, fewer electives and hundreds of pink slips. The report results reveal rural Minnesota can expect 160 teachers and 80 support staff to be laid off or not replaced and a total of $17.4 million in … Read More
Senate Presents Bill on Indian Education
The Senate E-12 Finance Committee on Thursday heard and laid over SF2027 sponsored by Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids) that would expand funding to more schools for Indian Ed programming. The bill mirrors the Governor’s supplemental budget with additional state funding for several programs that support public schools districts with 20 or more American Indian students and each of the state’s … Read More
Flexibility in ECFE Transfers Presented
Minnesota school districts could transfer money between their ECFE reserved account and their school readiness reserved account, under a bill presented last week. The House Education Finance Committee on Wednesday heard HF1643 sponsored by Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL-Duluth).MREA is strongly advocating for these types of bills this session. As a reminder, a special law passed in 2013 (see Laws 2013, chapter 116, … Read More
MREA Announces Annual Conference Focus
MREA announced today that its Annual Conference will focus on Great Beginnings: When Learning Starts Early, Inspires and Applies. The 2015 keynote address will focus on early learning and the conference will provide breakout sessions on a variety of timely topics from early childhood education to college and career readiness. MREA members identified early learning as one of the top legislative … Read More
What Will 1&1 Mean for Your Students?
MREA prefers mix of formula, targeted funding for facilities and School Districts without QComp to address the TDE requirements, and tax base equalization for Rural Education. The reality is that 1 percent and 1 percent, commonly referred to as 1&1, is inadequate. If Minnesota elected leaders invested half the $1.9 billion surplus for education, they could address facilities, TDE, move towards … Read More
Legislature Returns to Take on Budget
The Minnesota Legislature reconvenes at noon on Tuesday, April 7. Budget committees will continue reviewing individual budget requests this week as legislators and interest groups make their last minute attempts to find their way into an omnibus spending bill. The next phase of the session is for omnibus spending bills to roll out of their respective committees. Omnibus Budget Bills … Read More
ECFE Fund Transfers Permitted
Many rural school districts are running up balances in Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) budgets and deficits in School Readiness budgets. For this fiscal year only, districts in this situation can request the Minnesota Commissioner of Education to approve the transfer of funds from ECFE to School Readiness. Because both ECFE and School Readiness funds are “within” the Community Service Fund (Fund 4), these … Read More