Legislative Update
A Communication for Parents and Education Supporters in SEE Districts		 February 20, 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.
In This Issue
Special Education Task Force Reports
Federal Stimulus Bill: State Stabilzation Fund
Federal Stimulus: Special Education Enhancements
Smart Investments in Minnesota Students
What You Can Do
Upcoming Education Committee Meetings
Committee Deadlines
Quick Links

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The Special Education Task Force Reports to the House K-12 Finance Committee
Two years ago, the legislature commissioned a task force to look at areas where Minnesota law exceeds federal law in providing services to special education children.  The goal was to look for ways to free teachers up from the mountain of paper work so they have more time to interact with the children as well as looking for ways to contain special education costs without compromising basic services to the children. 
 
The task force was able to identify many special education statutes and rules that exceed the federal requirements but could not reach consensus on how to rectify these differences.  House education committee members expressed disappointment.  They had hoped that the task force could provide guidance on how special education could be reformed and streamlined. 
 
Even so, with the financial pressures facing the state, conversation will continue in this area as the legislature looks for ways to reduce unfunded mandates to relieve the financial challenges facing our schools. 
 Federal Stimulus Bill: State Stabilization Fund
This week at the capitol, the education committees continue to try to interpret the complex details of the federal stimulus bill.   The Minnesota Department of Education has detailed information and will also be providing periodic updates on the stimulus package.   
 
The first stimulus funding stream is the state stabilization fund.    To qualify for these federal funds the state must show maintenance-of-effort (MOE) by spending as much on education as it did in 2006.  Then the state must use the federal stimulus funds to backfill the funding gap to get back to 2008 funding levels.  The state funding gap between  2006-2008 is $502 M.  The gap between 2006 and this school year is $645 M.  The state will receive $672M in state stabilization stimulus dollars that can be allocated to K-12, higher education and early childhood to close funding gaps. 

The MOE rules in the education and health care portions of the federal stimulus might prohibit accounting shifts and cuts in these areas which the governor relies heavily on in his budget proposal.  The governor will release an updated budget proposal later in March which will reflex the escalating state budget deficit and the federal stimulus dollars.
 Federal Stimulus:  Special Education Enhancements
The second stream of funding in the federal stimulus bill is for special education and the dollars go directly to the school districts bypassing the legislature completely.  Since the state and federal governments have never fully paid for the extra costs to provide mandated services to our special education children, schools shift hundreds of dollars per student from  general education to special education.   It was the hope of many that these federal stimulus dollars could pay for existing services, freeing up dollars for other one-time needs in our schools.  
 
However, it appears these federal funds must be used to supplement not supplant state and local special education funding.  It seems that state and local school districts must comply with current special education MOE rules which mandate that special education funding cannot be reduced below prior year levels.  In addition, the federal stimulus dollars are only for the next two years and will be discontinued thereafter. 
 
Thus, as one legislator put it, "If districts use these dollars to increase special education staffing and services they will be digging a bigger hole for themselves at the end of the two years."  How will districts find the funding for MOE on the increased level of funding once the federal dollars disappear? Although this is a large amount of money that will be coming to the school districts, they will have to think very carefully about how handle these funds. 
 Smart Investments in Minnesota Students
Growth & Justiceis a progressive economic think tank committed to making Minnesota's economy simultaneously more prosperous, fair and environmentally sustainable. 
 
Angie Eilers, Ph.D, Research and Policy Director presented Smart Investments in Minnesota Students to the education committees this week. 
 
This is a very interesting report that provides a fresh way to think about investing new education dollars for better results.  The concepts in this body of work have the potential to complement the reforms in the New Minnesota Miracle bill.  
 What You Can Do
  • In the coming weeks, the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate, will be holding town hall meetings across our state to hear from Minnesotans on Governor Pawlenty's budget recommendations.  Check out the schedule to see when one is near you.  They will use these meetings to gauge what is important to Minnesotans. Education supporters need to voice their support for education and encourage state legislators to preserve Minnesota's education system which is Minnesota's greatest asset.
  • Attend Parents United's 7th Annual Parent Leadership Summit on Monday March 16 from 8:30 - 3:30.  This is an excellent opportunity for parents and education supporter to network with others from across the state and meet with their legislators in the afternoon.  If you would like to attend and need help setting up appointments with your legislators, just contact me and I can help.  The morning program includes for the first time in one parent-accessible venue, three reports with huge implications for education in Minnesota:
    • The Lost Decade, Katherine Blauvelt, Minnesota Budget Project
    • Kitchen Table Budget Principles, Jermaine Toney, Organizing Apprenticeship Project
    • Smart Investments in Minnesota Students, Angie Eilers, Growth and Justice.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me. 
 
Working together, we can make a difference. 
 
Deb Griffiths
Director of Communications and Community Outreach
Schools for Equity in Education
612-309-0089
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 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 24, 2009
E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
8:30 a.m. Room 112 Capitol
Agenda:  
S.F. 836 Stumpf Pre-kindergarten through grade 12, family and adult education provisions modifications and appropriations.
 
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
8:30 a.m. Room 112 Capitol
Agenda:  
S.F. 836 Stumpf Pre-kindergarten through grade 12, family and adult education provisions modifications and appropriations

In the House . . .  
 
K-12 Education Finance

MONDAY, February 23, 2009
9:30 AM
Joint Committee: K-12 Mandate Reduction Work Group
Room: 500S State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tom Tillberry
Agenda: Review of draft mandate reduction bill and list

TUESDAY, February 24, 2009
2:45 PM
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling
Agenda: HF107 (Emmer) School boards authorized to spend staff development revenue on CPR and automatic external defibrillator training and first aid certification.
HF195 (Norton) Labor Day school start provisions modified for two years, and repealing the Labor Day school start provision after studying its effect.
HF320 (Dettmer) School districts allowed to pay the costs of conducting a criminal history background check on an employee, contractor, or volunteer.


WEDNESDAY, February 25, 2009
2:45 PM
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling
Agenda: HF427 (Hilstrom) Two-year waiver authorized from the special operating plan for districts in statutory operating debt.
HF429 (Hilstrom) School districts in statutory operating debt levy authorized.
HF778 (Faust) School district with a negative fund balance authorized to hold a referendum election at a time other than November.


THURSDAY, February 26, 2009
2:45 PM
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mindy Greiling
Agenda: HF779 (Rukavina) Contracted school food service vendor requirement to make deficit payments eliminated.
HF252 (Benson) State reimbursement increased for school lunch aid from 12 to 15 cents per meal, and money appropriated.
HF784 (Newton) State reimbursement increased for reduced price school lunch meals from 12 to 52 cents per meal, and money appropriated.

K-12 Policy and Oversight 
 
TUESDAY, February 24, 2009
8:30 AM
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: HF106 (Swails) P-20 education partnership established.
HF679 (Peterson, S.) School required to notify a parent when a student intimidates or bullies another student.
HF523 (Bigham) School background check requirements modified relating to disciplinary actions.
 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.