In This Issue
Quick Links
Save the Date
Please mark your calendars to join us for Day at the Capitol on Monday, March 25.


2019 Legislative Session
Week Three - January 21, 2019
MSBA Brings D.A. Resolution to Attorney General
Frustrated by the lack of federal funding for special education, the Waconia School Board brought forth a resolution at last November's Delegate Assembly asking Minnesota's Attorney General to file a lawsuit on behalf of Minnesota school districts requiring the federal government to fulfill its pledge to fund 40 percent of federally mandated special education costs.
MSBA brings DA Resolution to Attorney General 
MSBA brings DA Resolution to Attorney General

MSBA's Denise  Dittrich and Kim Lewis met with Attorney General Keith Ellison last Wednesday afternoon to discuss the resolution and the possibility of a lawsuit.
Ellison said the federal government has an obligation to fund special education and it is critically important to education overall. He committed to exploring a lawsuit by conferring with attorneys who are experts in education law.
The Delegate Assembly meets each year to vote on ideas brought forth by school boards across Minnesota aimed at bettering school governance.
MSBA Board of Directors Heads to Washington, D.C.
New Congress. New IDEA. New Opportunities.
The MSBA Board of Directors along with Kirk Schneidawind and Denise Dittrich will be in Washington, DC next week to advocate for public education. Despite the government shutdown, MSBA is scheduled to meet with members of Minnesota's congressional delegation and will champion the needs and interests of our students and public schools with all representatives, especially the new members of Congress. Equipped with examples from our districts, they will tell Congress what works for Minnesota's schools and what we would like to see changed.
The Advocacy Institutes' theme is titled, New Congress. New IDEA. New Opportunities, which calls for the modernization and full funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Other issues of importance that will be discussed are teacher shortage and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) Land Exchange.
Education Bill Introductions
House
H.F. 207 - modifying the Monticello school district special education adjustment. (O'Neill)
H.F. 208 -  creating a deadline for teacher contracts; imposing a penalty for late contracts. (Kunesh-Podein)
H.F. 209 -  requiring schools to report on testing material expenditures; requiring report to the legislature. (Kunesh-Podein)
H.F. 224 - requiring child safety curriculum.(Sundin)
H.F. 244 - requiring school districts to conduct radon testing. (Clafin)
H.F. 249 - ensuring students are adequately prepared to be capable citizens able to fully participate in the political process. (Urdahl)
H.F. 250 - requiring affirmative consent instruction; appropriating money. (Kunesh-Podein)
H.F. 280 - firearm carrying by permitted and trained school staff allowed. (Lucero)
H.F. 314 - allowing school districts to begin the school year before Labor Day. (Youakim)
H.F. 328 - requiring teacher preparation programs to include instruction on dyslexia. (Runbeck)
H.F. 329 - modifying duties of dyslexia specialist. (Runbeck)
H.F. 337 - authorizing certain community service fund transfers. (Davnie)
H.F. 366 - continuing the certification incentive revenue through the end of fiscal year 2019 (Kresha)

Senate
S.F. 289 - defining cultural competency training for teacher licensure. (Clausen)
S.F. 292 - increasing funding for the community education revenue program. (Latz)
S.F. 295 - establishing P-TECH schools; appropriating money. (Nelson)
S.F. 313 - requiring schools to report on testing material expenditures; requiring report to the legislature. (Bingham)
S.F. 340 - providing for transportation of pregnant and parenting pupils to qualified programs.
S.F. 373 - requiring a civics class for high school graduation- grade 11 or 12. (Hawj)
S.F. 380 - creating a deadline for teacher contracts; imposing a penalty for late contracts. (H.F. 208) (Bingham)
S.F. 389 - authorizing alternative fire drills for schools and educational institutions. (Pratt)
S.F. 411 - modifying school meal provisions. (Kent)
S.F. 412 - authorizing school districts to begin the school year before Labor Day in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. (Kent)
S.F. 431 - requiring adequate levels of school counseling services. (Newton)
S.F. 482 - modifying individualized education program requirements to permit reporting of student performance on assessments. (Pratt)
S.F. 484 - requiring that certain forecasted positive general
fund balances be allocated to restore the special education aid payment percentage. (Rest)
S.F. 485 - providing for competency-based education. (Nelson)
Upcoming Meetings and Events
House
Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
Tuesday, January 29 8:00 AM      
Room: Capitol 120
Agenda: Presentation: Overview on Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

Thursday, January 31 8:00 AM
Room: Capitol 120
Agenda: Presentation: Overviews on Head Start & Early Head Start, Voluntary Prekindergarten & School Readiness Plus and Scholarships by Minnesota Department of Education

Education Finance Division
Tuesday, January 29 9:45 AM
Meeting Cancelled

Wednesday, January 30 9:45 AM
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda: Presentations from the Minnesota Department of Education, Mary Cathryn Ricker, Commissioner
Tom Melcher, Director of the Program Finance Division

Thursday, January 31 9:45 AM
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda:
HF207  Monticello; school district special education adjustment modified. (O'Neill) and presentations relating to special education and the cross-subsidy.

Education Policy Division
Tuesday, January 29 2:30 PM      
Room: 5 State Office Building
Presentations: Innovative and effective ways schools/districts are tackling the opportunity gap and seeing results.
A. Intermediate District 287
B. Prairie Island Indian Community
C. St. Louis Park Public Schools
D. St. Cloud Public Schools

Wednesday, January 29 2:30 PM
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker Introduction to Committee and presentation on standardized student testing recommendations from MDE's Future Assessment Design Working Group. Also, HF125 (Bennett) - Education programs; legislative grants awarded to organizations for education programs evidence-based grant standard established, and report required. More bills may be added.

Senate  
Committee on E-12 Finance and Policy
Monday, January 28 3:00 PM
Room 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:  Reading progress, Reading resources and evidence-based, Reading instruction

Wednesday, January 30  3:00 PM
Room 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:
S.F. 15-Goggin: Military, skilled trades and manufacturing career options access by school districts requirement.
S.F. 293-Nelson: Construction and skilled trades career counseling.
S.F. 295-Nelson: P-TECH schools establishment and appropriation.
S.F. 94-Eichorn: Post-secondary enrollment options (PSEO) nonpublic 10th grade student enrollment.
S.F. 19-Cwodzinski: Personal finance course for high school graduation requirement.
 
Mark Your Calendar
The governor's budget must be developed and presented to the Legislature on Tuesday, February 19.

The Weekly Advocate is delivered via email each Monday and is your "go-to" for education legislation.

Mark your calendars for MSBA's Day at the Capitol on Monday, March 25.
Minnesota School Boards Association | 507-934-8133 | [email protected]
145 University Avenue West
St. Paul, MN 55103
Like us on FacebookFollow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Stay informed with 
 

Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.