Parents United for Public Schools holds legislative kick-off - Parents United for Public Schools (PUPS), a statewide advocacy organization for public schools had its “legislative kickoff” meeting on Saturday, January 21, informing parents and others about the key legislative issues at stake for public schools.... Among the issues that PUPS addressed were the state’s surplus (that actually isn’t a surplus), redistricting decisions expected February 21, the constitutional amendments Republicans have proposed (and how they will affect education), and the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Twin Cities Daily Planet, January 26, 2012.

The handouts provided at the Legislative Kick-Off can be found here.

The Organizing Apprenticeship Project released the 2011 Minnesota Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity on Thursday, January 26 (Press release).

Read the Report Card and check these additional resources:

• Bills graded for the 2011 Report Card
• 2011 Racial Justice Champions
• 2012 Racial Equity Agenda
• Racial Justice Action tool kit (Zip)

Minnesota ranks 18th on state performance, earns a B+ on education policy (Minnesota State Report).

Additional Resources:

• What is ALEC and what are they doing in Minnesota? - Handout provided by Parents United for Public Schools at the January Legislative Kick-off
   
• Common Cause takes on ALEC in Minnesota.
   
• More about the ALEC education agenda in Minnesota.

The Integration Revenue Replacement Task Force would like to hear input from anyone interested in voicing their ideas about integration revenue uses and results. –More–

State GOP reform plan blends some new ideas with the familiar - Minnesota Republican leaders released a series of recommendations Thursday designed to shrink and modernize government, encourage job growth and produce more highly skilled workers as part of a rethinking-government initiative called "Reform 2.0." ...As for education, Republicans want to give the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis control of their city's school districts, Pioneer Press, January 20, 2012. (Learn more)

False Choices: The Economic Argument Against Market-Driven Education Reform (Scribd) - Minnesota’s experience has not supported the idea that increased competition drives improvement, Minnesota 2020, January 2012 (Release article).

Are you ready for the 2012 Session? Read these three documents and you will know as much or more than most Minnesota legislators.

• Minnesota School Finance - A guide for legislators, Minnesota House Research, November 2011.
   
• Financing Education in Minnesota, 2011-12 - Minnesota House Fiscal Analysis, September 2011.
   
• Fiscal Review: 2011 Session (Education Section) - Reviews the enacted FY 2012-2013 biennial budget, with emphasis on the actions taken to balance the General Fund budget and compares current biennial appropriations to budgeted spending in the previous biennium and the February 2011 forecast base, Minnesota Office of Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis, November 2011.

Erin Schmidtke, Session Daily
Teachers-to-be might see an exam in their futures earlier than expected — and they would be the ones taking it.

Cynthia Boyd, MinnPost
Julie Landsman is a white teacher who talks openly and thoughtfully about the elephant in the classroom: race, and its affect on children's learning.  And though she’s been devoting a good chunk of her time to writing and teaching about how to level that playing field ever since she left her classroom in the Minneapolis schools 10 years ago, she acknowledges she's a little pessimistic about narrowing the academic achievement gap between white kids and children of color. Especially now.

Sheila Regan, Twin Cities Daily Planet
Parents United for Public Schools (PUPS), a statewide advocacy organization for public schools had its “legislative kickoff” meeting on Saturday, January 21, informing parents and others about the key legislative issues at stake for public schools.... Among the issues that PUPS addressed were the state’s surplus (that actually isn’t a surplus), redistricting decisions expected February 21, the constitutional amendments Republicans have proposed (and how they will affect education), and the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Tom Weber, Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota supporters of raising the minimum school dropout age say they're buoyed by the president's mention of the issue. President Barack Obama called on states in his State of the Union speech Tuesday evening to require students to stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18. Minnesota law only requires attendance until 16.

Fargo-Moorehead InForum Editorial
Minnesota lawmakers are poised to enshrine the tyranny of the minority in the state constitution. It’s a bad idea on several levels, not the least of which is, it suggests legislators who favor a supermajority (over 60 percent) to increase taxes and spending are lazy.

If K-12 education can’t secure adequate support from the state, school districts will be further forced to go to local voters for funding just to keep running in place. Smaller, property-poor districts that can’t raise taxes will be hurt most, while property-rich communities will feel little impact. ...a supermajority amendment is a convenient cover for lawmakers who don’t want to do the heavy lifting. Instead of tackling the difficult jobs they were hired to tackle, they can hide behind a supermajority constitutional amendment. They would, in effect, be abdicating their responsibility to (omigod!) actually legislate.

Michael Moore, St. Paul Union Advocate
Workers briefly occupied the Wells Fargo tower downtown Saint Paul yesterday, shaming the giant bank for using loopholes in the corporate tax code to avoid paying its fair share... “At the beginning of the legislative session, Wells Fargo and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will tell state legislators how to vote to protect the agenda of the top 1 percent,” the organizers said in a statement before the event. “Minnesotans who have had enough of such skewed priorities and corporate irresponsibility will assemble this afternoon to speak out.”

Blaine McCutchan, a Local 284 member from Golden Valley, said that while Wells Fargo has padded its profit margins by dodging federal taxes, the public school where he works as a facilities maintenance employee, Intermediate District 287, has struggled with steadily shrinking budgets.

“I love my job. But each day it becomes more and more difficult to make sure that the building I am responsible for is in the best condition. With each budget cut, my ability to maintain an environment where students can learn and grow is undermined."
—Blaine McCutchan, Local 284, Golden Valley

Don Davis, Detroit Lakes-Online
The League of Minnesota Cities, Association of Minnesota Counties and Minnesota School Boards Association announced their intentions to work together in seeking some legislative relief from state mandates.

Jennifer Brooks, Star Tribune
As lawmakers convene, attention is on bill urging counties to help shrink state bureaucracy.

Tom Weber, Minnesota Public Radio
Parents of students in the East Metro Integration District are worried a new budget plan is a back-door attempt to close the district's two schools.

Brown Bag Updates (Every Monday during the legislative session)
Join us with your lunch for a phone conference with Executive Director Mary Cecconi every Monday during the legislative session.  Mary will give an update of the prior week’s events at the Capitol, and you may take the opportunity to offer questions, comments and observations. Contact us to participate!

Wednesdays At the Capitol
Meet at the Capitol on Wednesdays at 1p.m. throughout the session.  Learn first-hand about the issues of the day, see where and how work is done, and discuss implications and responses.  Note:  Because the legislative session is fluid, it is essential that participants RSVP with Mary in case of cancellation.

Our annual summit is a confluence of people and ideas around what is needed in public education.   This year’s theme “By the Numbers” will host state Demographer Tom Gillespie and state Economist Tom Stinson.  These experts will share the story of how demographics, statistics, and dollars play a role in public schools in Minnesota today, as well as in the coming years.  Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and a chance to engage with expert speakers. Check back for more information.

The Integration Revenue Replacement Task Force would like to hear input from anyone interested in voicing their ideas about integration revenue uses and results. 

Fast, affordable home Internet service from Comcast.
If your child receives free school lunches, you may qualify to receive Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax

McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis (or watch online). UMN Legislative Network.