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MSBA priorities shared with legislators.
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PLEASE ASK YOUR
S
UPERINTENDENT TO COMPLETE THIS IMPORTANT SURVEY.
Your Government Relations team is using data gathered in this survey for discussions with legislators. Topics addressed are:
*supplemental budget;
school safety;
*changes to the newly enacted teacher licensure system;
*elections;
*unpaid school meal debt, and
*statewide unfunded mandates surrounding curriculum and graduation requirements.
Please ask your superintendent to complete the attached 5 minute survey. Your input will help the GR team better represent you during the legislative session.
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Join school boards across Minnesota by passing the local control resolution.
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Week 3- February 24, 2020
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Big Bills in Early Childhood, Taxes and Education
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Look Ahead
Wage Theft
The third week of this legislative session begins with the continuation of the informational wage theft hearing from last week. The wage theft law that was enacted in July 2019 has presented a substantial increase in staff time, paperwork and expense to school districts.
A informational meeting started last Wednesday when the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) shared efforts to educate Minnesota employers and some of the feedback she has heard from employers and associations about its implementation. Hopkins Public Schools school board member, Steve Adams and Rosemount - Apple Valley - Eagan human resource coordinator, Shelly Monson shared how the sheer number of notices has increased confusion and expense for their districts. 
Ideally, a districts' collective bargaining agreement (CBA) would act as a substitute for the initial notice and the change notice. A CBA contains much, if not all, the required pieces of information contained in the initial and change notices.
Taxes
Thursday's House Tax Committee meeting will have several bills impacting schools districts. There are a couple of bills seeking to exempt school districts from sales tax on construction materials. MSBA is working with the League of Minnesota Cities and other groups on this issue. The committee will also hear bills to correct the taxing some fundraising sales, an unintended consequence of last year's GASB law.
The Senate Republican's announced a multifaceted plan to return Minnesota's budget surplus to taxpayers. plan is built upon a massive package of tax cuts worth more than $1 billion. The plan calls for reducing the bottom income tax rate, completely eliminating taxes on Social Security income, expanding the K-12 income tax credit, and more.
Budget Forecast
Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans, State Economist Dr. Laura Kalambokidis, and State Budget Director Britta Reitan will present the State of Minnesota February Budget and Economic Forecast on Thursday, February 27 at 11:15 a.m. at the Department of Revenue.
In Review
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Bill
Commissioner Ricker introduced her bill (
HF 3186) last week. The bill contains new requirements for graduation and academic standards and non-exclusionary disciplinary practices and policies surrounding exclusions and expulsions are defined. A major proposed change in the Safe and Supportive Schools would
require districts to engage, partner and train groups on a number issues where they are currently encouraged to work together.
Early Education
The House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division approved
HF1 last Thursday. The "Great Start for All Minnesota Children Act," invests in early care and learning opportunities with $500 million in appropriations and several policy changes. The investments would take almost half of the state's projected $1.3 billion budget surplus. HF 1 would add new funding for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten ($60 Million), Early Learning Scholarships ($190 Million), a Kindergarten Readiness Assessment ($5.85 Million), and Health and Human Services related spending ($228.35 Million).
Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division 
MSBA was pleased to testify in support of Rep. Acomb's bill (
HF 3596) that would establish a grant program to assist school districts to purchase and install solar energy systems. Another part of HF 3596 establishes a program in MDE to award grants to school districts to stimulate the purchase of electric school buses by paying the incremental cost of an electric bus over a nonelectric bus. Grants may also be used to pay for electric charging system.
Education Bill Introductions
MSBA's Legislative Agenda promotes local control and less mandates. As you scroll through the long list below, note the number of proposed new requirements or mandates.
Senate:
S.F. 3184 - requiring vaping awareness and prevention instruction for middle school public school students (Nelson)
S.F. 3186 - creating vaping prevention pilot grants (Nelson)
S.F. 3187 - appropriating money for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) grants. (Chamberlain) (H.F. 3589 Edelson)
S.F. 3219 - appropriating money for financial literacy instruction grants. (Wiger)
S.F. 3233 - providing that fund-raising sales made by certain elementary or secondary school student organizations are exempt if certain conditions are met (Clausen)
S.F. 3236 - amending teacher license renewal requirements to include mental illness training (Clausen)
S.F. 3238 - modifying requirements for establishing an area learning center (Clausen)
S.F. 3239 - authorizing school districts to renew expiring referendums by action of school board; providing for referendum to revoke board-renewed authority (Clausen)
S.F. 3253 - requiring notification of environmental hazards in school buildings (Wiger)
S.F. 3270 - providing enhanced debt service equalization aid for consolidating school districts facing unique circumstances (Rarick)
S.F. 3286 - requiring published notice before decision to accept grant money (Jaskinski)
S.F. 3308 - creating a pilot project for training career and technical education teachers (Miller)
S.F. 3310 - limiting the use of individual-use screens in preschool and kindergarten (Cwodzinski) (H.F. 3504 Morrision)
S.F. 3312 - amending the allowed uses of the safe schools levy (Nelson)
S.F. 3313 - appropriating money for early learning scholarships (Nelson)
S.F. 3340 - authorizing a grant for Independent School District No. 271, Bloomington, for an integrated special education information system (Wicklund) (H.F. 3400 Howard)
S.F. 3351 - modifying school health services to allow for the use of a private nurse (Nelson)
S.F. 3359 - requiring a school district to have a recycling policy (Wiger)
S.F. 3373 - repealing standards for restrictive procedures (Abeler)(H.F. 3434 Hassan)
S.F. 3388 - modifying provisions requiring a safe and supportive school environment and student admission or readmission plan (Wiger)
S.F. 3405 - requiring sudden cardiac arrest screening for youth athletes (Pratt)
S.F. 3329 - exempting certain schools from employee notice requirements - wage theft (Clausen)
House:
H.F. 3339 - defining and requiring reporting of pupil withdrawal agreements (Mann)
H.F. 3343 - linking the extended time revenue formula to future increases in the general education basic formula allowance (Persell)
H.F. 3386 - establishing an ombudsman for school safety (Urdahl)
H.F. 3388 - modifying provisions requiring a safe and supportive school environment and student admission or readmission plan (Youakim)
H.F. 3396 - modifying student discipline and non-exclusionary disciplinary policies and practices (Youakim)
H.F. 3419 - allowing a preliminary license during a pending background check (Christensen) (S.F. 3437 Chamberlain)
H.F. 3408 - modifying the calculation of career and technical revenue to include programs offered outside the regular school day (Bennett)
H.F. 3439 - permitting the possession and use of medical cannabis on school grounds in certain circumstances (Edelson)
H.F. 3473 - requiring notification of environmental hazards in school buildings (Fisher)
H. F. 3482 - defining and prohibiting seclusion (Mann)
H. F. 3491 - increasing the formula allowance by one percent; providing inflationary increases in general education revenue beginning in fiscal year 2022 (Stephenson)
H. F. 3504 - limiting the use of individual-use screens in preschool and kindergarten (Morrison) (S.F. 3310 Cwodzinski)
H. F. 3536 - modifying school health services to allow for the use of a private nurse (Youakim)
H. F. 3556 - appropriating money for trauma-informed school incentive aid (Moran)
H. F. 3562 - requiring a school district to have a recycling policy (Fischer)
H. F. 3574 - authorizing a one-year continuation of safe schools aid; increasing the safe schools levy (Pryor)
H. F. 3581 - modifying the calculation of special education aid for charter schools (Schultz)
H. F. 3593 - suspending academic standards review cycle; requiring a report (Erickson)
H. F. 3604 - modifying high school graduation requirements to meet career and college readiness benchmarks (Gruenhagen)
H. F. 3641 - creating a task force to examine the permanent school fund endowment (Kunesh-Podein) (S.F. 3455 Eichorn)
H. F. 3642 - authorizing a payment to tribal contract or grant schools equivalent to the annual payment to school districts and charter schools from the permanent school fund endowment (Kunesh-Podein)
Upcoming Meetings and Events
House
Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
Tuesday, February 25 8:00 AM
Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
Room: Capitol 120
Agenda:
*Presentation by the Children's Cabinet
*Update on the Preschool Development Grant
Thursday, February 27 8:00 AM
Room: Capitol 120
Agenda:
HF 1512 - Early education teacher licensure requirements established. (Sandell)
HF 3222 - State Building Code; baby diaper changing station installation in public restrooms required. (Becker-Finn)
HF 3311 - Birth to Age Eight Pilot Project modified.(Richardson)
HF2319 - Human services program integrity modified, criminal penalties created, and money appropriated.(Pinto)
Education Finance
There are no meetings scheduled as of February 24
Education Policy
Tuesday, February 25 9:45 AM
Meeting Time Note: Please note the committee is meeting from 9:45-11:15 AM rather than its typical afternoon time due to the precinct caucus break.
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda:
*Informational presentation on trauma-informed schools
*Book discussion on The Boy Who Was Raised by a Dog by Dr. Bruce Perry
HF 3556 - Trauma-informed school incentive aid funding provided, and money appropriated. (Moran)
Wednesday, February 26 2:30 PM
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda:
HF 1940 - Student receiving specialized instructional services programs allowed to participate in service area outside individualized education program. (Huot)
HF 1868 - Student journalists in grades 6 through 12 speech and press rights clarified. (Youakim)
HF 3580 - Teacher licensure provisions modified, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board composition modified, rule making authorized, and technical changes made. (Youakim)
HF 3186 - Prekindergarten through grade 12; policy and technical changes made to provisions including general education, schools, teachers, definitions, and timelines; and reports required. (Youakim)
This is the Minnesota Department of Education(MDE) bill
Friday, February 28 2:30 PM
Room: 5 State Office Building
Agenda:
HF 2243 - Pupil Fair Dismissal Act amended, non-exclusionary disciplinary policies and practices required, and money appropriated. (INFORMATIONAL ONLY) (Mariani)
HF 1761 - Pupil non-exclusionary disciplinary policies and practices provided, and report required. (INFORMATIONAL ONLY) (Her)
HF 3396 - Student discipline and non-exclusionary disciplinary policies and practices modified. (Her)
HF 55 - School meal provisions modified. (Jurgens)
HF 575 - Unclaimed drugs or medications in schools disposal provided. (Huot)
HF 1901 - Student death school board policy required. (Carlson, A.)
HF 244 - School districts required to conduct radon testing. (Claflin)
HF 3123 - Student athlete concussion and sudden cardiac arrest information and training required. (Christensen)
HF 250 - Sexual assault; affirmative consent instruction in schools required, and money appropriated. (Kunesh-Podein)
HF 1422 - Seizure training required in schools. (Baker)
Senate
Education Finance and Policy
Monday, February 24 3:00 PM
Room 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:
Christy Hovanetz, Ph.D., Senior Policy Fellow, Foundation for Excellence in Education
Amy Schulting, PhD, M.Ed, LP Dyslexia Specialist, MDE
S.F. 2989 - Compensatory revenue required uses modification (Nelson)
S.F. 2990 - Literacy incentive aid use for certain purposes requirement (Nelson)
S.F. 3187 - Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling(LETRS) grants appropriation (Chamberlain)
Wednesday, February 26 3:00 PM
Room 1100 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:
Art Rolnick, Senior Fellow, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, former Senior VP, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
S.F. 3606 - Early learning and child care provisions to require kindergarten readiness assessment and quality rating and improvement system evaluation modifications. (Nelson)
S.F. 3313 - Early learning scholarships appropriation. (Nelson)
S.F. 1367 - Early learning scholarships eligibility modification and data sharing authorization; licensing violation data classification modification; child care assistance program payment data definition expansion; human services display of results of child care licensing reports modification (Housley)
S.F. 3461 - General community education revenue uses modification (Dziedzic)
Other Committee Meetings
Monday, February 24 1:00 PM
Committee on Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy
Chair: Sen. Eric R. Pratt
Room 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:
Continuation of informational hearing on wage theft
Tuesday, February 25 10:30 AM
Committee on Transportation Finance and Policy
Chair: Sen. Scott J. Newman
Room 1200 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Agenda:
Informational Presentation on School Bus Safety
S.F. 1050 - School bus safety campaign appropriation (Draheim)
S.F. 3254 - School buses interim inspection certificate allowance (Jasinski)
Thursday, February 27 8:00 AM
Taxes
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Paul Marquart
Agenda:
HF 3561 Construction materials for public safety facilities tax exemption provided (Fischer)
HF 3278 Tax exemption for certain construction materials provided (L. Carlson)
HF 3320 Elementary or secondary school student organization fund-raising sales exemption provided if conditions are met (Huot)
HF 3362 Elementary or secondary school student organization fund-raising sales tax exemption provided (Sandstede)
Save the date for 2020 MSBA Day at the Capitol
We look forward to advocating on your behalf and encourage you to participate. We hope that you will save the date for our annual
Day at the Capitol event on Monday, March 23. More information will be coming.
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