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
Ag2School, Deferred Maintenance Move Forward
A series of bills were introduced in both the House and Senate before the Legislature’s spring break that would help rural districts with facility related issues. Farmers have been active at the Capitol this session seeing tax relief from school bond taxes. MREA has been working with farmers and legislators on this issue and an Ag2School plan. View a brief on this issue. … 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
New Funding Initiative to Eliminate Tobacco Inequities
A new funding initiative to support communities working to eliminate tobacco inequities has been announced by the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. While the overall smoking rate in Minnesota has decreased dramatically, particularly in recent years, there are populations that still experience high levels of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure, and who continue to … 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
Support School Trust Land Transfer
MREA calls on members this week to support the school land trust transfer within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area during the current federal public comment period. With the proposed exchange, the U.S. Forest Service would exchange about 30,000 acres of State School Trust Lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in exchange for an equal value of federal … Read More
Setting the Education Budget Target
With the second bill deadline behind them, Minnesota legislators left St. Paul on Friday for their traditional spring break. This is a time for legislators to get back to their districts and get a reality check on what they’ve been working on. We hope that school leaders will take some time to reach out to their legislators to talk about … Read More
A Push for Increased Phy Ed
A bill that would direct the Minnesota Department of Education to adopt statewide physical education standards and benchmarks is moving forward. HF489 sponsored by Rep. Bob Dettmer (R-Forest Lake) would be directed by standards from the K-12 National Association of Sport and Physical Education. Dettmer, who taught physical education for 34 years, said the bill would be the first time since 2010 … Read More
Seasonal Rec Bill Heard in Senate
Rural school leaders testified last week on a bill that would help rural schools collect seasonal rec property tax dollars. The Senate E12 Committee on Wednesday heard the details of SF1323 from its author Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids) and the need for it from Pine River-Backus Superintendent Cathy Bettino, Business Manager Jolene Bengtson, and Pelican Rapids Superintendent Deb Wanek. This bill … Read More
Student Loan Forgiveness for Rural Teachers
A silent teacher crisis is at work in schools across Minnesota with rising teacher shortages in certain disciplines and subject matters. The effects are felt most in rural school districts. Principals in rural areas have found it particularly difficult to hire newly licensed teachers in subject areas like math, special education and English as a Second Language. MREA has been … Read More