|
|
|
Legislative Update A Communication for Parents and Education Supporters in SEE Districts |
February 6, 2009 |
|
If this is your first Legislative Update from SEE - Welcome!
Brad Lundell, Executive Director for SEE, writes a blog on almost a daily basis. For up-to-date detailed information about what is happening at the capitol visit Brad's Blog. | |
|
Upcoming Events
Monday, March 16, St. Paul
Parents United's Annual Parent Leadership Summit
Save the date - more details soon!
|
|
If this communication was forwarded to you, sign up to receive it directly by clicking on the box below: | |
More Q-Comp Discussion The Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a 97 page evaluation report on Q-Comp: Quality Compensation for Teachers and a 4 page Evaluation Summary that is concise and easy to read. Q-Comp is under intense scrutiny because the Governor is proposing to madate the expansion of the program to the nearly 500 school districts and charter schools. Currently, only 72 districts and charter schools participate in the voluntary program.
Q-comp is an alternative teacher compensation and professional development system which is the governor's signature education program. Implemented in 2005, the Q-comp program includes performance-based pay, alternative teacher salary structures, on-the-job professional development, teacher evaluations and additional career opportunities for teachers.
This week, the House and Senate education committees heard testimony on Q-comp and the OLA evaluation. Of concern to the legislators was that the report revealed there is not sufficient evidence to determine if Q-comp improves student achievement. Question were raised that in these troubled financial times was it prudent to invest more dollars into a program that cannot demonstrate an impact on student learning when other programs such as early childhood, all-day K, and early intervention have researched records of increasing student proficiency and student success.
Commissioner Alice Seagren from the Minnesota Department of Education testified that now was indeed the time. She noted that the biggest impact on a child's success in school, other than their parents, is the quality of their teacher in the classroom. She stated that Q-comp initiatives are centered on increasing teacher quality through teacher professional development. Yet, Rep. Marsha Swails, who is also a teacher in the South Washington County school district, noted that her school is using professional learning communities that meet once a week and accomplish the same type of professional development without the large price tag of the Q-comp mandates. | |
K-12 Education Cuts to be in the Senate Budget Proposal
The Senate Tax Committee reviewed the governor's budget proposal this week. The committee members criticized some of the funding mechanisms in the governor's proposal. Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson said the governor wants to cushion the impact of the enormous deficit that Minnesota is facing and reiterated that the governor's priority is to not cut K-12 funding or increase taxes. He agreed that some of the solutions were not desirable in ordinary budget cycles but these were not ordinary times. He believed that families would prefer these strategies to increased taxes or more reduction in valuable programs. He also challenged the Senate leadership to bring alternative solutions to the table.
The senate leadership countered that the governor's budget proposal is structurally unsound. It fails to fix Minnesota's long-term revenue/spending imbalance and shows serious technical flaws. See the Star Tribune editorial: Jay Kiedrowski: Accounting gimmicks won't fix the budget.
The budget deficit is anticipated to grow to nearly $7 billion in the February forecast which translates into a nearly 20% across the board cuts in governmental spending. Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemeiller said the Senate will present a budget proposal and it will include a significant cut to K-12 education. He stressed that the only way to responsibly balance the budget without revenue (tax) increases would require severe cuts to ALL areas of government including education.
It is important for education supporters to be aware that although we hear reports that education will not be cut that is very likely not the case. 10 - 20% cuts to current education funding will decimate our schools. As the session evolves and budget solutions are proposed, education supporters need to stay engaged and involved in the process.
|
What You Can Do
Sit in on an education committee meeting. The House K-12 Finance Committee is hearing the HF2-The New Minnesota Miracle Bill this Tuesday, February 10 from 2:45 - 4:15 in Room 10 of the State Office Building. This bill provides comprehensive funding reform that links resources to student achievement and need. Just sitting in the audience is an excellent opportunity to show support for education and support for a long-term vision that stabilizes education funding. Other education committee meetings can be found below. |
|
Working together, we can make a difference.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Deb Griffiths
Director of Communications and Community Outreach
Schools for Equity in Education
612-309-0089
|
 |
Upcoming Scheduled Education Committee Meetings
These committee meetings were current when published but schedules are very fluid at the legislature. If you plan on visiting a committee meeting, verify the agenda by clicking on the links below.
In the Senate . . .
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
9 a.m. Room 112 Capitol
Agenda:
S.F. 142 Sieben Independent school district #200, Hastings; alternative facilities bonding and levy program eligibility.
S.F. 68 Kubly Independent school district #2853, Lac qui Parle Valley; fund transfer authorization.
S.F. 327 Koch School districts staff development revenue use for CPR and automatic external defibrillator training.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
9 a.m. Room 112 Capitol
Agenda:
S.F. 344 Jungbauer, M. J. Compensatory revenue pilot project continuance and appropriation for certain school districts.
S.F. 86 Bonoff Alternative teacher compensation aid calculation for intermediate school districts modification.
S.F. 343 Jungbauer, M. J. Alternative teacher compensation long-term commitment levy and revenue program expansion.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
10 a.m. Room 112 Capitol
Agenda:
To be announced.
In the House . . .
TUESDAY, February 10, 2009
2:45 PM Room: 10 State Office Building Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling Agenda: HF2 (Greiling) School finance system modified, and new education funding framework created. WEDNESDAY, February 11, 20092:45 PM Room: 10 State Office Building Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling Agenda: Current and potential student assessment costs THURSDAY, February 12, 20092:45 PM Room: 10 State Office Building Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling Agenda: Permanent School Trust Land management update HF104 (Dittrich) Permanent school fund revenue required to be set aside for school technology purposes. K-12 Policy and Oversight
TUESDAY, February 10, 2009
8:30 AM
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: Presentation of Governor's College of Education Reforms
Testimony from Colleges of Teacher Education, U of M researcher, the Bush Foundation
WEDNESDAY, February 11, 2009
8:30 AM
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: Presentation of Governor's State of Minnesota Mid-Career Alternative Route to Teaching (SMART) proposal
THURSDAY, February 12, 2009
8:30 AM
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: SciMathMN presentation on setting priorities for STEM education, recommendations from Minnesota's TIMSS participation
Discussion of Math and Science Teacher Academies |
Committee Deadlines
Deadlines Set: It may seem like minutae, but the legislative deadlines often play a huge role in how the business of the legislature unfolds, especially near the end of session. This year, with the major budget challenges facing the state, the deadlines will likely take on even greater importance.
The deadlines are as follows:
First Deadline--Friday, March 27: Last day for policy committees to act favorably on bills in the house of origin (in English, last day for Senate policy committees to act on Senate Files and House policy committees to act on House Files).
Second Deadline--Tuesday, April 7: Last day for policy committees in either body to act favorably on bills or companions of bills that met the first deadline in the other house (in English, House policy committee may act upon HF XX if SF YY met the first deadline in the Senate).
Third Deadline--Thursday, April 16: Last day for House and Senate budget divisions to act favorably on omnibus education funding bills (This is the one the education community watches most closely, as Senator Stumpf and Representative Greiling will have to have the omnibus K-12 bills out of their divisions no later than this day).
Fourth Deadline--Wednesday, April 22: Last day for Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee to act favorably on an omnibus appropriations and tax bills.
Fifth Deadline--Thursday, May 7: Conference committee reports on omnibus appropriations and tax bills must be reported to the floor. This is new for this year and will give the Legislature nine working days to pass their major funding and tax bills and send them to the Governor for signature or veto. |
Education Bills
Following are selected education bills that have been introduced in the House and Senate. Bills that were introduced this week are found at the end of each section in orange.
| |
|
|
|
