Last Friday Governor Dayton announced he would no longer push a plan to expand the state’s sales tax to business services which raised $2 billion for his budget plan. The proposal that came to be known as “B2B” or the business-to-business sales tax faced found little to no support in the House of Representatives. The Senate remained more silent on … Read More
EAR Gains Bi-Partisan Support
Sen. Rod Skoe continued his efforts to get all school districts at least $300/pupil on local property taxes. SF 576, also known as Education Advancement Revenue (EAR) was reviewed again in the Senate Tax committee last week. This time around the bill took on some amendments aimed at gaining bi-partisan support. The first amendment was on the EAR levy base … Read More
E-12 Budget Target Pressure
MREA asked members last week to contact their legislators and ask them to support a larger budget target for education than Governor Dayton had proposed in January. In the days to come after Governor Dayton announces his budget changes, DFL leaders in the House will unveil their budget targets for each major spending category (education, health & human services, transportation, … Read More
MREA Releases Map on Special Ed Net Cross Subsidy
MREA released a map today on the special education net cross subsidy value per WADM in 2010. The map aimed to identify any patterns to higher special education costs per pupil. A thumbnail is provided below. Click here to view the interactive map. The 119 higher special education cross subsidies (above $525 per WADM) are in the Twin Cities urban … Read More
All Day K #1 Priority
By Vernae Hasbargen, MREA Lobbyist When the chairs of the Senate and House K-12 committees met with the MREA Board recently, they agreed that fully funded Kindergarten for every student was their top priority. This week they put their words into action. In the House House Chair Paul Marquart heard several bills that add to the Governor’s proposed budget and increase … Read More
Two Bills Aimed to Help Districts at the Bottom of the Funding Gap
By Vernae Hasbargen, MREA Lobbyist In the Senate it’s called EAR (Education Advancement Revenue SF 576) and it could have a dramatic impact on the state’s lowest funded students in districts where citizens have refused to pass an operating levy. Authored by the Senate’s new Tax Chair Rod Skoe of Clearbrook, EAR adds $300 to the formula for districts without … Read More
Map Shows Inequities Based on 5/95 Percentile
MREA released a map today of the Minnesota Department of Education’s 5th to 95th Percentile Funding Report. This map shows the inequities in funding based on Basic Formula, Equity Aid and Voter Approved Referendums. View the interactive map. Of the three formulas included in this statutorily required report, the voter approved referendum has the largest impact on disparities in funding. 94 districts (28% of … Read More
Staff Development Changes Coming in FY'14
Changes regarding staff development are coming in fiscal year 2014.The requirement for a distribution of staff development funds to buildings, district, and exemplary sites was repealed in the 2012 legislative session. The requirement to reserve 2% of general education revenue for staff development will resume in FY ’14 after four years of being waived. MREA does not expect this waiver … Read More
Military Child Poetry Contest
Senator Franken announces 2nd Annual ‘My Experience as a Military Child’ poetry contest for K-12 children of Minnesota military families. There are three age categories and is open to children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews of active military or military veterans. Deadline April 10. Learn more
Voter Approved Referendums Mask the Effects of Special Ed Cross Subsidies
MREA released a map today that reveals voter approved referendums masking the effects of special ed cross subsidies. Voter approved referendums are mitigating the effects of special ed cross subsidies. A thumbnail of the map is below. Click here to view the interactive map. The ability of communities to approve operating referendums coupled with special ed cross subsidies creates geographic … Read More