MREA has appointed Paul Schmitz, principal of Willmar Senior High School, to the Student Discipline Working Group at the Minnesota Department of Education. The 2015 Supplemental Budget bill called for this working group to review the Fair Pupil Dismissal Act, which statutorily defines student suspensions and expulsions. MREA is among the 21 organizations listed to appoint representatives. The working group is to … Read More
Thanks to Associate Members for Support
Nearly 50 businesses and educational organizations actively participate in MREA as Associate Members. Thank you to these members for their valuable support that helps MREA maintain a constant presence at the State Capitol, advocating for our students in rural Minnesota. MREA encourages its members to work together on behalf of rural education needs and to learn more about each other. View all Associate Members. … Read More
Early Bird Workshops Announced for 2016 Conference
Five early bird sessions will be offered at the 2016 MREA Annual Conference to feature timely education and dialogues on everything from shifting conversations about teaching and learning to managing stress before it interferes with learning. “Making Teaching Matter” kicks off Nov. 13 with 90-minute workshops that give participants a deeper understanding of the topic as well as dialogue and engagement with … Read More
MREA Partners To Bring Leaders Together on Dual Credit Changes
MREA announced today that it has partnered with the Center for School Change to host an event later this summer to bring together high school and post-secondary leaders to discuss recent dual credit changes and next steps. This conference, hosted in collaboration with community and parent partners, aims to engage community members, students, parents, educators and representatives of MnSCU, the University of Minnesota, … Read More
Farmers, Schools Await Special Session Passage of Ag2School
Farmers in 266 Minnesota school districts are waiting for a special session to pass the tax bill (HF 848) pocket vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton to receive an Ag2School 40 percent tax credit for school facility bonded debt on Ag Land starting in 2017. In 88 of those districts, the savings are projected to be $350 or more per $1 … Read More
Cuts Loom in Title I, ESSA Underfunded
Six months after the bi-partisan passage of ESSA, the proposed funding levels in the U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) appropriations bill threaten effective enactment of ESSA at the local school district level. Despite a $50 million increase in Title I funding, ESSA increased the allowable state level set aside for state support and interventions for under performing … Read More
Lack of Governor’s Signature Vetoes Tax Bill
The lack of Governor Mark Dayton’s signature yesterday on the omnibus tax bill means it has been vetoed. Included in the vetoed bill was Ag2School, a new school bond property tax credit for agricultural land. This also means nearly $260 million in tax cuts for next fiscal year and $500 million in ongoing, biennial tax cuts will not move forward without it passing … Read More
MDE Releases Application for New Voluntary Pre-K Program
The application process for the new Voluntary Pre-K program has begun with a deadline of July 1. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) just released the application and details on the program that focuses on helping rural schools. MDE will notify successful applicants by Aug. 1. View the program application and Q&A. MREA and MDE also have updated the Program Impact Estimator Tool to … Read More
MREA Requests Proposals for Web Design
MREA seeks to engage a partner to redesign its current website, migrate the content and host it in a stable environment that meets security best practices and provides regular backups. The deadline to submit a proposal is noon on June 27, 2016. View the Request for Proposals. The website is an integral part of MREA’s communications efforts, providing the vehicle … Read More
Governor Signs Supplemental Budget Bill
Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday afternoon signed the Supplemental Budget bill that contains a variety of appropriations spanning many areas of state government including E-12 education. This bill establishes a new pre-K pilot program and provides additional funding for rural school districts. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will provide applications for the PreK funding soon. View the potential on your school districts with … Read More