2018 Legislative Agenda

MSBA has released its legislative priorities for the 2018 legislative session. You will notice a very new look with a strong message. Access the Legislative Agenda here or select the image on the right. MSBA Executive Director Kirk Schneidawind introduces the agenda in the YouTube video below.

More Than 2,000 Members Strong

MSBA takes great pride in our membership of more than 2,000 school board members, who partner with us every day advocating for public schools across Minnesota. Together, we work for more than 850,000 public school students. These are significant numbers and we want to use them to remind legislators who we represent and the work we do on behalf of public school students. The first part of our agenda reinforces that as locally elected officials charged with the governance of our school districts, the voice of school boards matters.

Strong Messages on Issues

There are nine priorities, six of which were resolutions passed at the recent Delegate Assembly.

Delegates voiced loud and clear that the special education cross-subsidy is the No. 1 priority. The cross-subsidy is $609 million and expected to grow. The projected growth suggests it is time to create a work group to design a plan to eliminate the cross-subsidy.

Cyber security is an emerging concern for school districts. Our legislative position requests funding and more flexibility to protect students, staff and parents with electronic systems.

MSBA is urging the Legislature to allow for ballot language that better reflects the impact of a new bond proposal in plain language for the tax payer.

With the reauthorization of ESSA and the new state accountability plan, we want to advocate for one accountability system, hoping that the World’s Best Workforce and the state plan align.

Issues we have had on our platform in the past will be front and center again this year. The Teacher Retirement Association fund could jump to $64 million for employers. We are advocating for the state to fund those contributions so as not to divert dollars from our general education fund. MSBA has led the efforts to address teacher shortage the last three years. Again this year, we are advocating for programs to attract and retain teachers that reflect their classroom populations. And, MSBA continues to be the statewide leader for School Trust Lands reform. Our efforts resulted in a director being appointed in 2015. Now we need the director to have the full authority to act on behalf of the beneficiaries.

We look forward to advocating on your behalf and with you.