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  All public school children must have equal access to a high quality education regardless of where they live in Minnesota.
Legislative Update
A Communication for Parents and Education Supporters in SEE Districts		May 13, 2011

If this is your first Legislative Update from SEE - Welcome!

For those who have been with us through the years - Thank you!

 SEE publishes this Legislative Update weekly during the legislative session.

Brad Lundell, Executive Director for SEE, writes a blog on almost a daily basis.  For up-to-date information about what is happening at the capitol visit Brad's Blog.
In This Issue
Agreement on K-12 education finance omnibus
When next?
What can you do?
Other resources
Example emails for legislators
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
House and senate reach an agreement on K-12 education finance omnibus bill.
The education finance bill agreed to in conference committee softened previously proposed cuts to the urban centers.  Integration dollars would still fund the new literacy incentive aid program but districts that receive integration aid can still keep 30% of the funding that comes from local levy.  Rather than completely eliminate the 4.6% special education increase meant to offset the 8% annual increase in special education costs, the percent was lowered to fund formula increases.   Although the funding side the bill might be approaching a compromise that the governor could sign, combined with the many policy provisions, this bill will still likely garner a veto from the governor. 

 

Here's the entry from Brad's Blog that outlines the highlights of the K-12 education finance budget bill:

 

Funding                                                                                         

·         Biennial Target of $14.1 billion (same as what went into conference).

·         Basic formula increase of $20/PU for 2011-2012 and $21/PU for 2012-2013 (down a bit from where both bodies came into conference).

·         Compensatory and Sparsity De-linked from general education basic formula.

·         Integration aid becomes innovation aid for 2011-2012 school year. Starting in S012-2103, districts participating in integration program keep their levy amount, but aid is rolled into Senate literacy incentive program.

·         Basic special education growth factor set at 2.0% for current biennium, 4.6% beyond that.

·         Excess special education growth factor set at 3.0% for current biennium; 2.0% beyond.

·         70%/30% shift levels made permanent.

 

Reform Measures

·         Low-income scholarship program for students in low-performing schools in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth. (Vouchers)

·         Limits the window for teacher negotiations and the ability of districts to go to binding arbitration if a settlement cannot be reached.

·         Task Force created to develop teacher evaluation framework to be implemented in every school in the 2012-2013 school year.

·         Teacher layoffs stipulations changed from seniority to teacher effectiveness.

·         Teachers' tenure changed to 5-year renewable contracts.

·         A-through-F school rating system ala Florida.

·         Qualified economic offer with binding arbitration for bargaining purposes.

 

Mandate Relief

·         2% staff development set-aside repealed.

·         January 15 negotiating deadline and penalty repealed.

·         Safe schools set-aside for counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses repealed.

·         Districts can limit the number of 403(b) providers for employees.

 

Here's some links for more information on the bill

HF 934 - Bill language

District by District Runs -2011-12 - Gives funding gain/loss over base for each district 

District by District Runs -2012-13 -Gives funding gain/loss over base for each district
District Revenue Comparison Table - Compares base revenue under current law versus changes made in HF934/SF1030.  The 2011 base is the current funding for 2010-11 school year. 

What's next?

The K-12 education finance omnibus will pass off the House and Senate floors in the next few days.  Amendments are not allowed on conference committee bills so this is the bill that will go to the governor. 

 
Legislative leaders have said all the budget bills will be out of conference committees in the next day or two so negotiations between the governor and the legislative leaders can begin.  These bills like the education one above are the basis for the negotiations and in the chaos of the process one can never predict which provisions will remain and which will be throw out.   Anything could happen!

 

With just about a week left before the end of the regular session and the ideological differencea between the republican controlled legislature and the DFL governor, it's still very hard to see how this all could get done by May 23.  Stay tuned . . .  

 

Check out Brad's Blog to stay up to date on the action happening during this last week of regular session.   

What can you do?
The decisions that will most impact our children and their schools are made at the STATE Capitol.  Since children can't advocate for themselves, it up to us to be their voice.  
       
*Contact your state legislators today and let them know how important our schools are to you.  Sending a quick email or making a call now might be the most important thing you do for our schools this year.  Don't assume enough other people will respond so you don't have to.  If we are apathetic, our children and their educational opportunities will suffer! Click here to find out who represents you.  Copy legislative leaders in any emails you may send:

rep.kurt.zellers@house.mn, rep.matt.dean@house.mn, sen.amy.koch@senate.mn, sen.geoff.michel@senate.mn, sen.tom.bakk@senate.mn, rep.paul.thissen@house.mn

 

*Forward this update on to your friends and ask them to write a letter to their legislators as well!  Ask them to sign up to receive SEE's Legislative Updates so they too can be part of our network. In this political world, it is the voice of many that 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

deb.griffiths@schoolsforequity.org

www.schoolsforequity.org
 Other Resources

To read more details about the activity at the Capitol this week, check out Brad's Blog.

 

2011 Education Bills spreadsheet - Information on the education omnibus bills and a comprehensive spreadsheet of relevant education bills.

 

Schedule of education committee meetings - a updated listing of education committee meetings and other committee meetings that are hearing education bills.  

 

Example letters

It's always best to write in your own words but if you are stuck, these samples might get you started.    You might find more ideas to add to  samples in these Talking Points.

  

Key messages in your emails can included:

  • The current proposed funding for our schools needs to be maintained even through negotiations between legislative leaders and the governor.
  • Please don't burden our schools with more unfunded mandates.  Reforms without resources quickly become unfunded mandates.
  • The House and Senate are taking dollars meant for special education to fund the formula increases and new reforms.  This is very misleading.
  • The House and Senate are taking integration dollars to fund formula increases and reform.  See if this impacts your district.

Feel free to cut and paste all or portions of any letter.  I encourage you to edit a sample letter to reflect your voice. If you are able, add personal stories about how dwindling resources are impacting your children's learning opportunities.  Real stories can really impact a legislator!  State elected officials are thinking dollars, budgets and bills.  We need them to see our children and the good things our schools are doing.   

 

(Fill in you legislators last names in the beginning of the letter and always include your name, address and phone number at the end)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Dear Representative/Senator,

 

I wanted to let you know how I appreciate that both the House and the Senate are working to protect education funding.  In these difficult economic times, I realize that is hard to do. 

 

Please continue to support the proposed funding for our schools and talk with your colleagues to ask them to do the same. 

 

Also, I do have concerns about the proposed reforms I read about.  Won't these really be unfunded mandates since dollars intended for our special education kids are being taken away to fund the reforms?  
 

Sincerely,

Name,

Address

Phone number

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Dear Representative/Senator,

  

We cannot afford cuts in funding for public education and I am happy to see that both the House and Senate are standing up for our schools in their education finance bills!  

 

We need a well-educated work force for Minnesota's future prosperity.  Please continue to support the current funding proposals for our schools.  I know that will be challenging but it is vital for the sucess of our students and our state.

   

Thank you for all you do to serve our community.  

 

Sincerely,

Name,

Address

Phone number

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Dear Representative/Senator,

 

My concern lies with my child's education.  Next year, my [son] will be in [first] grade and it is [his] one chance to be a [first] grader.  He won't get a do-over when economic times improve.  If his class balloons to 40 students and more support is cut once again to our schools, how will [he] ever get the what he needs to succeed academically?

 

Thanks to the House and Senate for protecting education funding!  Clearly, our schools are a priority for you.  Please continue to be a champion for the current funding proposals and speak with your leadership to let them know how important our schools are to the people in your district. 

 

Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Name,

Address

Phone number