Yesterday in the House Education Innovation Policy committee, Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL-St. Paul) sponsored  HF2944 which would make improving student access to "effective and more diverse teachers" one of the state's core education policy goals and require the Office of Higher Education to develop recommendations on how to reach this goal. A coalition of faculty representing private colleges, University of Minnesota, and state universities were on hand to share their perspectives. The committee approved the bill, which now goes to the House Education Finance Committee. A companion bill, SF2610, sponsored by Sen. Patricia Torres Ray was heard in the Senate Education Committee. The committee approved the bill and was referred to the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development committee.

On Thursday, the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development committee will hear from MnSCU and the University of Minnesota on their completion reports which were submitted to the legislator earlier this year.

Wednesday, March 23  

8:30 a.m.
Senate Education
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Charles W. Wiger
Agenda:
 S.F. 2604-Kent: Student-user privacy rights establishment; online educational services security and privacy standards compliance requirement; student information use for student profiles or targeted marketing prohibition.
S.F. 2916-Franzen: Girls of color to explore and pursue STEM careers pilot grant program appropriation.
S.F. 2617-Clausen: High school teachers dual enrollment instruction board of teaching standards adoption.
S.F. 2717-Clausen: General education unfunded mandates task force creation.
S.F. 2814-Clausen: Student discipline working group creation to review pupil fair dismissal act and related student discipline.
S.F. 1407-Pratt: Students acquire grade-level reading proficiency by end of grade 3 requirement. scs1407a-3 (PDF) S.F. 2359-Wiger: Education open enrollment lottery process priority authorization to children of school district staff establishment.
S.F. 2962-Jensen: Charter school closures trustee oversight requirement.
S.F. 2961-Jensen: Charter schools serving at-risk student populations accountability measures establishment.
S.F. 2773-Jensen: Innovative adult basic education (ABE) programs grants establishment for college readiness academies, contextualized GED or adult programs and ABE navigating and advising support services.  

11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session  

12:00 p.m.
Senate Natural Resources, Economic Development, and Agricultural Budget Division
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. David J. Tomassoni
Agenda: Governor's Supplemental Budget Presentations:
- Housing Finance Agency (MHFA)
- Bureau of Mediation Services (BMS)
- Dept. of Employment & Economic Development (DEED)

• MHFA Gov's Supplemental Budget (PDF)
• MHFA Homeownership Equity (PDF)

12:45 p.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Jenifer Loon
Agenda:
HF2981 (Howe) Schools determined eligible and notified of participation in the alternative compensation revenue program alternative compensation funding ensured, and money appropriated.
HF3013 (Christensen) College entrance examination reimbursement clarified.
HF3240 (Carlson) Charter school cash flow adjustment modified.
HF2910 (Fischer) White Bear Lake Area Community Achievement Center funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated. 2:00pm Committee on State and Local Government
Room 2308 Minnesota Senate Bldg. Chair: Sen. Patricia Torres Ray
Agenda:
S.F. 2651-Clausen: Kindergarten through grade 12 teacher licensure legislative task force establishment.
S.F. 2418-Carlson, J.: Metropolitan landfill contingency action trust account management to maximize long-term gain requirement.
S.F. 2345-Franzen: Edina 2014 special law approval filing time extension authorization.
S.F. 2723-Schmit: Amateur sports commission snow angel program development and fund creation and appropriation.
S.F. 2626-Metzen: Labor agreements and compensation plans ratification; retirement agency directors salary increase ratification.
S.F. 2802-Ingebrigtsen: Eyelash extension services regulation and appropriation.
S.F. 2829-Goodwin: Statewide criminal and juvenile justice information and policy advisory
group establishment [PENDING RE-REFERRAL FROM JUDICIARY].
S.F. 2743-Pappas: Public safety officer death benefits modifications; hometown heroes act
definitions adoption [PENDING RE-REFERRAL FROM JUDICIARY].
S.F. 3084-Pappas: Small vehicle passenger service ordinances regulating pedicabs requirements modification.  

2:45pm
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Bonding and Supplemental Budget Request Overview
University of Minnesota Bonding and Supplemental Budget Request Overview  

Thursday, March 24  

8:15 a.m.
House Education Innovation Policy
Room: Basement Hearing Room
Chair: Rep. Sondra Erickson
Agenda: HF597 (Slocum) High school league provisions modified.
HF2511 (Barrett) Charter school provisions modified.
HF3204 (Erickson) Charter school provisions technical and grammatical corrections made, and erroneous, ambiguous, and omitted text corrected.

8:30 a.m.
Senate Education
Room: 2412 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. Charles W. Wiger
Agenda:
S.F. 2707-Dahle: School solar panels fire safety compliance requirement.
S.F. 2358-Wiger: Charter schools provisions modifications. scs2358a-1 (PDF)
S.F. 2634-Bonoff: College entrance examination reimbursement clarification.
S.F. 2323-Brown: Assault on teacher student expulsion requirement.
S.F. 2234-Dahle: Charter school authorizer statute changes.
S.F. 2462-Carlson, J.: School information systems software contract bidding process exclusion.
S.F. 2411-Franzen: Early learning scholarships, home vising programs, and parent aware activities increased funding and modifications; appropriation.

11:00 a.m.                           
Senate in Session  

2:00pm
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Senator Terri Bonoff
Agenda: University of Minnesota - College Completion Report - University of Minnesota - College Completion Report (PDF)
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities - College Completion Report  - MnSCU - College Completion Report (PDF)
S.F. 2487-Dahle: Higher education federal loan forgiveness programs promotion
S.F. 2259-Clausen: Student preparation and MCA college-ready score modification.
S.F. 2589-Clausen: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) board of trustees supplemental instruction program establishment; concurrent enrollment modifications.
S.F. 2615-Clausen: Child care grant eligibility modification.
S.F. 2547-Nelson: Postsecondary education planning information provisions modifications.
S.F. 3028-Bonoff: Higher education-related provisions technical and policy changes.

Tuesday, March 29  

2:00pm
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development
Room: 1100 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Senator Terri Bonoff
Agenda: MnSCU bonding and supplemental budget request  

Tuesday, April 5  

4:00 p.m.
Senate Capital Investment
Room: 1200 Minnesota Senate Building
Chair: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf
Agenda: Asset Preservation