A report to the members of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) by Charlie Kyte, Executive Director.
This podcast is 11 1/2 minutes long.
THE EDUCATION BILLS HAVE PASSED THE SENATE AND WILL PASS IN THE HOUSE
The House Education Bill will provide about $750 million in permanent funding and about $150 million in one-time funding for schools. The permanent funding will go primarily to provide a 3% formula increase each year, ratchet up Kindergarten funding to .86FTE and help some with special education funding. To do this will require more revenue that the House seeks through an income tax increase on high income earnings.
The Senate has two Bills. The first provides $500 million in Special Education funding that reverses the pro-rations we have been seeing and also provides an inflation factor to each future year. In addition this Bill provides about $100 million in Property Tax relief.
The second Senate Bill includes another $300 million that provides a 2% formula increase each year, $50 million in new Early Readyness program funding and also about $100 million to control the rate of tuition increases for colleges. This second Bill would require a tax increase, again on high income tax payers.
These Bills contrast with the Governors initial position which recommended $500 million in permanent funding (2% each year on all formulas) and about $250 million in one time spending for a variety of initiatives.
This is who we are trying to get funding for....our kids!
This is one of the people trying to convince legislators to provide the funding....MASA Lobbyist Valerie Dosland!
EASTER (OR SPRING) BREAK....TIME TO COMMUNICATE
Legislators spend a week in their districts from April 3-April 10. They will be both listening, and discussing, the legislative issues with citizens. This is the time for every MASA member to call and arrange to have a cup of coffee with their Senator and Representatives. If you expect better school funding, you need to make the case this week. Based on what legislators hear now, they will make hard decisions (one way or the other) in the next 6 weeks of the session.
STATEWIDE HEALTH INSURANCE...A FEW OBSERVATIONS
Health Insurance and Health care are industries undergoing enormous change. I would argue that smaller groups of insurees will be more adaptable to changing conditions and approaches than very large groups.
A statewide insurance program for educators may prove to be even more expensive than the existing insurance groups because of the need to build up adequate financial reserves to protect the new fund if it is formed.
The Senate did pass the Statewide Health Insurance Bill and it contains what is now referred to as the Scheid Amendment. This amendment requires a newly forming group to meet the same regulations from the MN Department of Commerce as any other health insurance provider. These are necessary safeguards if a statewide plan moves forward.
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