| | | March 20, 2009
Update for March 16-20, 2009 — From Mary Cecconi, Executive Director
Important Dates
March 27, 2009 -- Policy bill deadline
If a policy bill is to be considered this session
it needs to have been heard in committee by this date.
A complete listing of Events is always available at our website.
What is Happening at the Capitol?
"If you are not at the table, you are on the menu."
I love this quote used by Katherine Blauvelt at our Parent Leadership Summit this past Monday! It is a great reminder of how important it is for us to be advocating for our kids and the public schools that serve them.
We had a great turnout of parent leaders for our Summit. It was interesting to learn, network and act with them. For several parents, our afternoon at the Capitol was the first time they had stepped into that role but I hope it won't be the last.
Jermaine Toney from the Organizing Apprenticeship Project was one of our speakers at the Summit. He referenced the Racial Equity Report Card that was released on Wednesday. Check out the 2008 Minnesota Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity (or its executive summary). All the presentations from the Summit, as well as an evaluation form for the day, are available at our website.
Tuesday this week, the Governor presented his supplemental state budget. A supplemental budget was necessary to factor in the federal stimulus money.
Senate spending targets were released late last week. And the House spending targets were presented Thursday afternoon, March 19.
At this point we have dueling spending targets. Remember, this is the amount that committee chairs have to spend on education.
- The House has a zero target for school spending, meaning they hold schools at present spending. They do this with tax shifts or delayed payments and federal stimulus money.
- The Senate decreases spending for schools, as it does for all areas of the state budget, but the 7% reduction in school spending does not yet factor in the federal stimulus money.
- The Governor increases spending for schools, also using shifts or delayed payments and federal stimulus money. The increased spending for schools is in specified initiatives, primarily merit pay for teachers and "pay for progress" for students.
It is incredibly important to note that the budget problems Minnesota is having will not go away in two years; they have to be dealt with today. We have spent too much time budgeting in two year cycles and that has led us here. Looking at the impacts of this budget cycle on the next biennium is critical.
Check out the Minnesota Budget Project for up-to-the-minute analysis of the state budget.
Learn more about the State Budget/Structural Imbalance at the Parents United website.
In this issue
Bills to Watch
Because the first committee deadline is next Friday there have been a flurry of bills heard in committee this week and that is expected to last through next week as well. (A complete list of bills being heard is below.)
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HF 2 (Greiling-DFL-Roseville) School finance system modified, and new education funding framework created.
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HF 322 (Nornes-R-Fergus Falls) SF 314 (Skogen-DFL-Hewitt) Signature requirement increased for an election to revoke an operating referendum.
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HF1101 (Brown-DFL-Albert Lea) SF 1003 (Stumpf-DFL-Thief River Falls) High quality in public education provided through equitable and adequate funding, and constitutional amendment proposed.
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HF 1186 (Mariani-DFL-St. Paul) Center established for legislative educational analysis research and navigation in the next generation.
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SF 1342 (Bonoff-DFL-Minnetonka) Alternative teacher preparation program and resident teacher license for qualified nontraditional candidates.
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SF 866 (Saltzman-DFL-Woodbury) Teachers reading instruction competence assessment licensure requirement.
In this issue
A Look Ahead
Expect this next week to be a bit unscheduled. With committee chairs trying to hear as many bills as possible, meetings may be long, then adjourned, then reconvened later in the day or the evening. If you are interested in a particular bill, check it out under Bill Search and Status.
Now that targets have been decided and released, legislators have an idea what parameters they have to work within.
In this issue
What Can I Do?
No doubt if you have received this newsletter you are interested in staying informed about what is happening around the issue of education in Minnesota -- so you are taking the first step by reading this newsletter!
- Meet your locally elected officials. They want to know how you feel about the schools in your area. Start there--tell your story. Take a moment and talk with them at the local coffee shop, in the grocery store -- or better yet, call them and ask them to have a cup of coffee with you and a few concerned folks. Legislators want to hear from their constituents.
- Visit the Capitol! "Demystify the system" for yourself and others you know -- it is not as big or scary as you may think. Meet me at the Capitol for an hour or a day, visit an education hearing and stop in to your local legislator. Just call 651-214-6565 or email me, even on short notice.
- Send this email on to others who may be interested in the link between state policy and their local schools.
"The more informed citizens we have speaking out for public schools,
the louder our voices become and the more likely we are to drive positive change. Parents United helps bring these voices to the places where decisions are made."
—Christy Hlavacek, President, Parents United for Public Schools
Check out all the News and Hot Topics at our website!
In this issue
Bills Being Heard
If any of these bills interests you, you can find out more about them.
House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight, Chair Rep. Carlos Mariani
- HF 1441 (Brynaert-DFL-Mankato) State measures of student achievement growth established.
- HF 1538 (Mariani-DFL-St. Paul) Educational innovation fostered to improve student and school performance.
- HF 1188 (Winkler-DFL- Golden Valley) E-16 reforms pursued to improve and expand opportunities for all students to attain educational success, and E-16 advisory subcommittees established.
- HF 575 (Simon-DFL-St. Louis Park) Driver education requirements modified for obtaining an instruction permit.
- HF 1186 (Mariani-DFL-St. Paul) Center established for legislative educational analysis research and navigation in the next generation.
- HF 1212 (Brown-DFL-Albert Lea) Deaf or hard of hearing resource center provisions modified.
- HF 1359 (Peterson-DFL-New Hope) School districts required to offer at least two academic years of elective high school level world languages courses. Informational hearing)
- HF 1665 (Swails-DFL-Woodbury) Education; Best practices center for shared services established.
- HF 1630 (Kalin-DFL-North Branch) Schedule established for aligning assessments to academic standards.
- HF 1001 (Demmer-R-Hayfield) K-12 education state grants authorized to leverage quality improvements, and money appropriated.
- HF 1621 (Davnie-DFL-Buffalo) Schools required to develop a plan and comply with requirements on using restrictive procedures for children with disabilities.
- HF 1701 (Newton-DFL-Coon Rapids) School district obligations clarified to children with disabilities.
- HF 553 (Dittrich-DFL-Champlin) Online learning provider requirements modified. (Informational hearing)
- HF 1179 (Mariani-DFL-St. Paul) Prekindergarten through grade 12 education provided, technical corrections made.
In this issue
House K-12 Education Finance Division, Chair Rep. Mindy Greiling
- HF 55 (Falk-DFL-Murdock) Lac qui Parle Valley; Transfer of funds authorized for ISDN 2853.
- HF 1117 (Falk-DFL-Murdock) Ortonville; ISDN 62 fund transfer authorized.
- HF 795 (Brynaert-DFL-Mankato) Mankato; ISDN 77 fund transfer authorized.
- HF 719 (Laine-DFL-Columbia Heights) St. Anthony-New Brighton; ISDN 282 fund transfer authorized.
- HF 322 (Nornes-R-Fergus Falls) Signature requirement increased for an election to revoke an operating referendum.
- HF 79 (Brown-DFL-Albert Lea) Wind energy production tax removed from county apportionment deduction for school districts.
- HF 733 (Dill-DFL-Crane Lake) School district swimming pool levy criteria eligibility modified.
- HF 91 (Slocum-DFL-Richfield) Health and safety revenue modified to include elevator repair costs.
- HF 777 (Shimanski-R-Silver Lake) Departments defined for the pupil transportation equal treatment statute.
- HF 1001 (Demmer-R-Hayfield) K-12 education state grants authorized to leverage quality improvements, and money appropriated.
- HF 1188 (Winkler-DFL-Golden Valley) E-16 reforms pursued to improve and expand opportunities for all students to attain educational success, and E-16 advisory subcommittees established. - information only
In this issue
House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division, Chair Rep. Nora Slawik
- HF 1324 (Hornstein-DFL-Minneapolis) General Education Development test fee waiver authorized
- HF 1430 (Peterson-DFL-New Hope) Working Family Resource Center grant provided, and money appropriated
In this issue
Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division, Chair Sen. Leroy Stumpf
- SF 1253 (Wiger-DFL-North St. Paul) Prekindergarten through grade 12 education policy provisions modifications.
- SF 402 (Saltzman-DFL-Woodbury) School background check disciplinary actions modifications.
- SF 971 (Dibble-DFL-Minneapolis) School harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence policy clarification.
- SF 1076 (Dibble-DFL-Minneapolis) Parent notification of student bullying requirement.
- SF 739 (Jungbauer, MJ-R-East Bethel) Schools background check fees waiver for volunteers.
- SF 866 (Saltzman-DFL-Woodbury) Teachers reading instruction competence assessment licensure requirement.
- SF 1342 (Bonoff-DFL-Minnetonka) Alternative teacher preparation program and resident teacher license for qualified nontraditional candidates.
- SF 1107 (Wiger-DFL-North St. Paul) Resource center for deaf and hard of hearing advisory committee provisions modification.
In this issue
Please join Parents United in our efforts to build the political will and community consensus necessary to provide a world class education for all Minnesota students.
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Thank you! You are a valued partner in our work.
We welcome your feedback on this update and our work. Please take a few minutes to let us know what's helpful to you.
Questions? Email Mary Cecconi
Parents United for Public Schools
1667 Snelling Avenue N., St. Paul, MN 55108
651-999-7391
www.parentsunited.org
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