Governor Pawlenty's 2010 Education Proposal

March 5, 2010 - The Governor’s Education bill - A summary of the provisions of the bill, Parents United.

March 5, 2010 - Summary of the HF3388 - Governor’s K-12 Education Funding Bill, Schools for Equity in Education (Legislative Update).

March 2, 2010 - Governor's supplemental K-12 education funding provisions - Ratifies the July 2009 unallotments, and more.

Minnesota's Race to the Top

March 4, 2010 - Schools miss out on federal windfall - Minnesota learned it was not one of the finalists for stimulus funds in a contest called "Race to the Top," Star Tribune.

March 4, 2010 - Minn. won't get 'Race to Top' funding in 1st round - Minnesota schools are out of the running - at least for now - for a slice of the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" grants after the state's application didn't advance past the first round, KSTP 5.

March 4, 2010 - 16 Race to the Top Finalists Announced - Minnesota not among them, U.S. Department of Education.

February 25, 2010 - Race to the Top proposals critiqued - Education Commissioner Alice Seagren told the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee Feb. 23 that the attorney general has certified that the state’s Race to the Top application for $330 million in federal grants is not in conflict with Minnesota laws; but some lawmakers and advocates have a different reading, Session Weekly.

February 2010 - Federal Race to the Top Grant - Minnesota’s application includes proposals for a number of policy changes in the K-12 education system, Minnesota House Research.

February 23, 2010 - Education application clarification - Education Commissioner Alice Seagren told the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee that the attorney general has certified that the state’s Race to the Top application for $330 million in federal grants is not in conflict with state law, but some lawmakers have a different reading, Session Daily.

February 11, 2010 - ‘Sprint for the Money’ - It’s a rare day when conservative advocacy group EdWatch and Education Minnesota, the state teachers’ union, see eye to eye, but on Feb. 9 representatives of each organization shared similar concerns about the state’s application for federal Race to the Top funds with the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee, Session Weekly.

February 9, 2010 - Race to the Top: For Minnesota, figuring out new federal education plan is far from elementary - It might be easier for everyone concerned if Minnesota employed Sherlock Holmes to decipher the clues contained in the federal Race to the Top funding rubric. He'd sift through the Department of Education's guidelines and tell everyone how "elementary" the criterion of "Ensuring equitable distribution of effective teachers and principals" was, MinnPost.

February 8, 2010 - Schools Left Behind in Race to the Top - Minnesota's schools are financially starved, but while President Obama offers billions of dollars through his Race to the Top initiative, they balk because Gov. Tim Pawlenty has linked the federal money to participation in his controversial Q Comp program. This means thousands of Minnesota students, like those in districts such as Alexandria and Dassel-Cokato, may be left out of the chance for the extra federal money, Minnesota 2020.

February 2, 2010 - Obama Looks To Overhaul 'No Child Left Behind' (Audio) - The Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind Act ushered in sweeping changes to America's education system, but many argue it emphasizes testing over learning. NPR's Larry Abramson and Claudio Sanchez explain Obama's proposed education overhaul and assess his new Race to the Top initiative, NPR.

January 26, 2010 - A key first step in Race to the Top - Mostly unified application process bodes well for Minnesota, Star Tribune.

January 21, 2010 - Many school groups gather at starting line for Race to the Top, but loophole lets unhappy ones drop out - Earlier this week when the Minnesota Department of Education announced its application for a slice of the $4.3 billion in stimulus funding dedicated to education grants, Commissioner Alice Seagren portrayed support for the state's bid as overwhelming," MinnPost.

January 20, 2010 - Hundreds of MN schools vie for "Race to the Top" money - Three-hundred school districts and more than 100 charter schools across Minnesota have signed on to a bid by the state to win federal stimulus dollars, Minnesota Public Radio.

January 20, 2010 - State beats the clock in bid for federal education funds - Minnesota has asked for $330 million in federal stimulus money to be spread over four years, aimed at improving teaching and data collection to aid student performance, Star Tribune.

January 20, 2010 - 300 Minn. school districts back federal aid plan - State education officials said Wednesday that 300 school districts endorsed a teacher pay approach that bases raises partly on student performance, something they'd be willing to try if the state lands $330 million in federal aid, Star Tribune.

January 20, 2010 - All But 10 States Throw Hats Into Race to Top Ring - Forty states and the District of Columbia applied for the first round of $4 billion in the Race to the Top Fund competition, which pits states against each other for desperately needed money, bragging rights, and leverage to implement controversial education reforms such as merit pay for teachers, Education Week.

January 20, 2010 - Race to the Top Application Submitted to Washington with Overwhelming Support from Minnesota - Support from 300 school districts and 116 charter schools causes state to increase grant request to $330 million, Minnesota Department of Education.

January 19, 2010 - No Handouts, States Compete For Education Aid - Tuesday is the deadline for states to apply for billions of dollars the Obama administration is offering in federal aid for education. About 40 states are competing for some of the $4.3 billion in the administration's "Race to the Top" fund, NPR.

January 19, 2010 - Obama Hopes 'Race' Spurs Changes In Education (Audio) - President Obama's "Race to the Top" initiative offers $4 billion to states committed to making changes to education, NPR.

January 13, 2010 - Over 250 Districts, Schools Sign On to Race to the Top - Over 250 districts and charter schools have submitted a Race to the Top memorandum of agreement, Minnesota Department of Education.

  January 15, 2010 (Updated) - Minnesota Race to the Top Districts/Schools

January 13, 2010 - State Holding Minnesota's Schools Hostage through "Race to the Top" - Today is the final day school districts can sign up for federal funds through the federal "Race to the Top" program. Despite unpalatable portions of the program, schools across Minnesota know that the state's financial chokehold on education is even more unpalatable and they are grasping at any straw available, no matter the consequences, Minnesota 2020.

January 8, 2010 - Bemidji Area Schools: District turns to Race To The Top funding - Foreseeing little chance of increases in state aid funding for K-12 education, the Bemidji School District’s Board of Education is turning to federal funding opportunities, Bemidji Pioneer.

January 6, 2010 - Federal School Money Not Worth the Acrobatics - Minnesota should put a stop to its application for the federal government's Race to the Top program. Several aspects of the plan are quite troubling and the immediacy of the application doesn't allow for proper consideration, Minnesota 2020.

January 6, 2010 - Kittson Central considers Race to the Top funding - The Kittson Central School Board discussed participating in Minnesota Race to the Top (RTTT) funding at their monthly meeting Dec. 23, Kittson County Enterprise.

...Continued from 2009

January 2010 - FY 2010-11 General Fund Budget Governor’s Unallotments and Administrative Actions - The Governor’s unallotment and deferral of K-12 education aid payments in FY 2010-11, creates an entitlement obligation to pay those aids instead in FY 2012. This entitlement liability adds $1.17 billion to the expected shortfall for FY 2012-13 while actions proposed to delay payment of tax revenue refunds from FY 2011 into FY 2012 would increase FY 2012-13 spending by $119 million and certain spending unallotments would further increases FY 2012-13 obligations $51 million, bringing the reported FY 2012-13 structural imbalance to $4.431 billion, Minnesota Office of Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis.

January 28, 2010 - Schools' 'loan' to state is bad sign - The state's ongoing budget crisis came home to roost in a new way this week, when the number-crunchers in St. Paul announced that the state will "borrow" $423 million this spring from 231 school districts across the state, Rochester Post-Bulletin.

January 28, 2010 - Unfair to penalize districts for fiscal responsibiilty - "It is certainly disappointing that the state financial shortfall has to be assumed by school districts," District 88 Superintendent Harold Remme said Wednesday, in reaction to a state decision to delay payments to school districts this spring, New Ulm Journal.

January 27, 2010 - Area schools worry more cuts to come - Area school leaders who will see their state aid payments delayed this spring said they should be able to weather the three-month dry spell. But they worry the move by the cash-strapped state might be a harbinger of more delays and outright cuts in aid to come. And because only districts with fairly comfortable fund balances will see payment delays, officials said the state is technically penalizing prudent spenders, Fargo-Moorhead INFORUM.

January 27, 2010 - Minnesota hits up school districts to cover funding shortfalls - It's not a new practice, and it's actually required if the state would otherwise have to borrow to pay bills. State officials will again use Minnesota school districts to help cover their funding shortages, Star Tribune.

January 26, 2010 - Dismayed metro educators rip Pawlenty plan to delay aid payments to school districts with financial reserves - Metro area education leaders expressed dismay today that Gov. Tim Pawlenty, faced with a cash crunch, will delay spring payments of state aid to Minnesota school districts that have built up financial reserves, MinnPost.

January 26, 2010 - State to postpone another $423 million in aid to Minnesota schools - 231 districts to see reduced payments in March, April, Pioneer Press.

January 26, 2010 - State withholds payments to schools to pay the bills - School districts across Minnesota got word Tuesday that the state will withhold some of their funding in coming months, Minnesota Public Radio.

January 26, 2010 - Pawlenty may delay $423M in Minn. school payments - The Department of Education announced Tuesday it will delay as much as $423 million in aid payments to 231 school districts to help the Minnesota state government pay its bills, Star Tribune.

January 14, 2010 - State may look to schools for money - Minnesota schools may be asked, again, to help pay bills when the state checking account is empty this spring, Woodbury Bulletin.

January 14, 2010 - Cash crunch could hold back school payments - A cash flow crunch could have Pawlenty Administration officials holding back school payments this spring, Elk River Star News.

January 14, 2010 - State’s cash flow problems may lead to temporary delays in school payments - Minnesota has a cash flow problem to go along with its $1.2 billion deficit problem. And it’s a good bet that the state will try to solve it, at least in part, by additional delays in school aid payments this spring to those districts with some “cash on hand,” Minnesota Budget Project.

January 13, 2010 - Pawlenty may delay school payments to pay state's bills - The Pawlenty administration says it may withhold payments to schools to pay the state's bills, Minnesota Public Radio.

January 13, 2010 - State may force schools to lend it $1B - It could withhold up to $1 billion in state aid to schools and avoid borrowing from banks, Star Tribune.

January 13, 2010 - State might delay 2010 school payments to fix cash flow problems - State budget officials are looking at emergency options to avoid short-term borrowing before the fiscal year ends on June 30.... The lowest point is expected to come in April, when the state is projected to have a $143 million negative cash balance, Politics in Minnesota.

January 13, 2010 - State may delay payments to school districts - The state may look to solve short-term cash flow problems by delaying payments to school districts and holding back some tax refunds, state budget officials told a legislative panel, Session Daily.

  January 6, 2010 - Estimated Aid Payment Delay Under MS127A.46 - Maximum Reduction Under Statute by School District, Minnesota Department of Education.

  January 13, 2010 - Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy Subcommittee on a Balanced Budget - State's cash flow requires fund transfers, Senate Media Services.

January 5, 2010 - November 2009 budget forecast: Continued economic woes bring more big deficits - The forecast assumes that a portion of the delayed school payments (the property tax recognition shift) will not be repaid in FY 2012-13. Repaying the property tax recognition shift in FY 2012-13 would add $562 million to the deficit, Minnesota Budget Project.

January 2010 - November 2009 budget forecast: Continued economic woes bring more big deficits - The economy has been a big part of Minnesota’s budget problems, but not the only part. Minnesota also has a long-term structural budget problem that has resulted from past policy decisions.... Policymakers have the opportunity to leave a legacy and put the state on much stronger financial footing. It is possible to balance the budget in ways that ensure adequate revenues are raised, make the investments that Minnesotans expect for our economic well being and quality of life, and deal with structural problems to create a long-term, sustainable budget, Minnesota Budget Project.

• A drop in expected revenue has created a $1.2 billion budget deficit in Minnesota’s current two-year budget cycle, FY 2010-11, according to the state’s recently released November economic forecast.
  
  
• The Governor partially delayed payments to school districts in order to help balance the budget. The forecast assumes that the bulk of that money will be repaid in FY 2012-13. Continuing to delay those payments would decrease the deficit by $1.2 billion.
  
  
• The forecast assumes that a portion of the delayed school payments (the property tax recognition shift) will not be repaid in FY 2012-13. Repaying the property tax recognition shift in FY 2012-13 would add $562 million to the deficit.
  
  
• Minnesota received $816 million in “fiscal stabilization funds” that were used mainly to prevent cuts in E-12 education and reduce cuts in higher education, but also helped to avoid some smaller reductions in public safety and health and human services.
  
  
• One budget wild card is whether the federal government will approve another infusion of funds to states like what was done through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Budget Imbalance: 2009 Articles