Voice of MN Education

MASA... "At the Capitol" w/ Charlie.... Frustration!!!

A report to the members of MASA from Charlie Kyte, Executive Director.

If you want to listen to this somewhat ‘blistering’ audio version of this click the audio bar above. The audio podcast is 9 minutes long.

YOU AREN’T GOING TO BELIEVE THIS..... THEY ARE FIDDLING WHILE ROME IS BURNING

I’m writing this during the Senate Education Finance Committee meeting tonight (Thursday evening) and we just heard an amendment that prohibits a grade K-6 grade student from being denied recess as a form of discipline. The amendment passed on a 10-7 vote.

It is unbelievable to me that a committee can absolutely starve our schools and then usurp a districts local control even to the point of reaching into the decisions of classroom teachers to discipline a student. Get this.... if a kid is rough housing on the playground or hitting other kids, the teacher can’t deny the kid being in recess if this new law passes. Crazy!!

K-12 EDUCATION GETS A $0.00 TARGET, BUT EVERY OTHER AREA IS BEING CUT

Now I’m a bit worked up.... wow, the legislative targets are $0 for education in 2008-09. So what you read below is really just rearranging the dollars from one category to another. However, be aware that every other area of government is receiving a cut back from what they were promised for 2008-09. Of course many of those areas got more than the meager 1% that K-12 education received in the first place for next year.

HOUSE EDUCATION BILL

These are just the big picture items: 1% additional money ($51ppu) for 1 year only. Authority for districts to transfer up to 1% from the Capitol Outlay reserve to the general fund. Plus a number of new policy items.

SENATE EDUCATION BILL

Sets up a permanent funding stream from the School Trust Fund Lands ( plenty of minerals underneath) which will provide K-12 with about 2/3 of 1% next year and this amount will be permanent and grow a bit over time. Also just a few policy items.

IF TARGET IS ZERO, WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM..... Q-COMP MOSTLY

There is about $22 million left unspent in the Q-Comp account. If no more districts are approved, this money could be used to fund the items above. The House uses the Q-Comp excess for 1 year. The Senate takes it permanently.

WHAT COMES NEXT

Once the Education Omnibus Bills work their way to the floors and pass, they come back to a Conference Committee to be reconciled. Once this is done, the Bills are re-passed by the House and Senate and sent to the Governor. He has the right to sign the Bill or veto it.

MASA... "At the Capitol"... Spring Break

A report from the Capitol on the status of the 2008 MN Legislative session to the members of MASA from Charlie Kyte, Executive Director.

The video recording and the audio podcast above are each about 6 minutes long. Each adds to the information printed below.

WE ARE IN A DANGEROUS FINANCIAL TIME

The international financial markets are in disarray and we are on the edge of a national ‘liquidity’ crisis. All this may mean a deep recession or worse. One result will be lower government tax revenues and as a result states will have a harder and harder time meeting their obligations to local units og Government. Looking forward, do not project any more money in your 2008-09 budget than is now promised and hope that those numbers will actually hold up.

Over the longer term we will need a new school funding formula, more adequacy in funding and it may take a lawsuit to get this ball rolling.

OMNIBUS EDUCATION BILLS

There are Omnibus Education Policy Bills in both houses of the legislature. Some of the articles relate to the following:

ACHIEVEMENT GAP REPORTS: Districts will be required to submit a plan/ report next fall on how they plan to close the achievement gap.

SCHOOL REPORT CARDS: The new language proposed is not acceptable to the MDE and it may be modified further. If not, this is a possible reason for a veto of the whole Education Bill

LABOR DAY START: No luck here. The resort industry and the State Fair Board are still blocking pre-labor day school starts even when Labor Day fall late on the calendar. Maybe we should propose legislation to move the State Fair to an earlier date.

READING CERTIFICATION FOR NEW TEACHERS: This language is controversial and requires all new teachers to take a test before licensure to show their competency to teach reading.

PRINCIPAL’S ACADEMY: There is a bit of money designated to fund the Principal Academies over the next year.

STATEWIDE HEALTH INSURANCE: This is a separate Bill that has a few changes from last years Bill. Although this issue will be contested, it will probably pass through the legislature and once again end up on the Governor’s desk. He will need to decide if it should be vetoed once again.

MDE SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES

The MDE Special Education division has continued to pass rules by both formal and informal means over the years. Between these new restrictive rules that push Sp Ed costs higher and the chronic shortage of Sp Ed revenues (including pro-rations) schools are at the breaking point. A Bill to completely curtail the MDE’s abiity to make new regs/ rules was strongly opposed by Commissioner Seagren. A compromise was worked out with a pledge from the MDE to withdraw much of the currently proposed rules, review all MDE pronouncements of the last 10 years that pushed up Sp Ed costs and for the Commissioner to create a new level of oversight over future regulatory memos. In return the language in the Bill was modified to make it acceptable to the MDE. We hope the agreement by MDE will hold so we don’t need to bring this issue back again next year.

VISIT LEGISLATORS AT HOME, AND KEEP COMING TO THE CAPITOL

Keep the needs of the public schools on the radar screens of the legislators. Do this over the next week when they are home and continue your visits to the Capitol.

MASA New/ Newer Member Update

This BLOG contains information and guidance to the first and second year members of the MN Association of school Administrators by Charlie Kyte, Executive Director.

The audio podcast is 10 minutes long and adds to the discussion on the topics below.

LATE WINTER BLUES

This time of the year is a typical 'low' point for staff and for administrators. Work to keep yourself up and your staffs as well. Great leaders know when and how to lift people.

GREAT START BEFORE SPRING CONFERENCE

There are Great Start and 2nd Year Cohort Group Workshops on Wednesday, April 2. These are provided at no cost, but you need to register. Later in the evening, Charlie will host a reception (about 8:30) in one of the suites near the pool. You are invited to come.

TIPS TO RECRUIT & HIRE TEACHERS

Most of you will be doing at least some hiring in the next 3 months. In many ways hiring teachers is one of a districts most important decisions. Here are a few tips from Mary Clements book "Recruiting & Hiring Effective Teachers"

"The single best predictor of a candidates future job performance is his/ her past job behavior"

"Interviews that probe past job behavior have been found to be more reliable than ones that focus on personality traits"

For more on this topic, listen to the audio podcast.

SUMMER PLANNING

It is time to plan your Board Retreat for June. Also think about a 'debrief' Administrative Retreat/ Meeting in June and already schedule a full day administrative planning retreat in early August. It is important to get your lead people all on the same goals.

MASA... "On the Road" w/ Charlie... News from the front

This is a report on a number of issues, legislative and informative, to the members of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) from Charlie Kyte, Executive DIrector.

There is a video above that is about 5 1/2 minutes long. Just click in the triangle in the center of it. There is also an audio podcast to listen to that is slightly longer.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PRO-RATION

88%.... that is what you are going to get. Quite a few Districts have felt mislead on this issue. There is a good memo from Tom Melcher attached to this weeks MDE Superintendent's e-mail letter. Take a look at it.

MASA ANTI-BLOG ATTACK TEAM

Quite a few MASA retirees have told us they will participate in 'push back' messages when our members are under blog attacks. MASA is also meeting with an aggressive attorney and will be ready to level a few lawsuits on our members behalf if necessary. Let us know if attacks are being directed at you.

"GETTING PREPARED" REPORT COMING OUT SOON

This report, coming from MnSCU, tells us how many students in college are taking remedial courses. You will receive the report in about 2 weeks, in advance of a media release. Be sure your HS Principals have it and you are prepared to react to media inquiries. We need to remember that we are all (Colleges and K-12 schools) interested in having as many students be successful as possible.

LEAD IN THE PAINT ON TOYS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS

"Get the lead out"... or t least test to see if you have a problem. You can pay for testing with H & S dollars, but it is pretty expensive. It might just be best to destroy the toys and buy new. This time buy toys made in the USA. If you need more guidance on this call Greg Boole at the MN Dep't of Health (218-332-5147 or 651-201-4620)

KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON FOR SCHOOL FUNDING

The education lobbyists continue to meet with key legislators about school funding. Last week we met privately with Speaker Kelliher and this week with Senator Stumpf. They want to help, but are struggling to find a way to do so.

MIKE FUNK COMMANDING TROOPS IN KOSOVO

Mike is the superintendent on leave from the BOLD schools. Lt Colonel Funk commands the Minnesota National Guard Brigade in Kosovo, where the new government just recently declared independence from Serbia. The Minnesotan's are in the middle of what could become an explosive situation. Keep Mike and his brigade in your thoughts and prayers.