DOCSLIB.ORG

Education Bills Move Forward As Session End

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Education Bills Move Forward As Session End A publication for the members of Education Minnesota May 2017 2017 Representative Convention Education bills move forward as session end nears End-of-session rally, letter-writing campaign to show support for public education, students The 2017 legislative differences in their bills, they vetoed. Read more about compensatory revenue and Both the House and session moves into its last are voted on again by the full how to send your notes to the Early Childhood Family Senate funding proposals month with House and House and Senate. If the bills Capitol, as well as our Rally Education from the general do not even keep up with Senate Republicans passing pass both fl oors, they will be for Public Education on May education formula, as well infl ation increases. anti-public education bills, sent to the governor for his 20, on page 6. as cuts to underrepresented “There’s not one school including tax credits for approval or veto. The fight for education kids and other programming district in the state saying, private school tuition Education Minnesota funding is currently in like Pathway II early learning ‘We’re good. Everything’s and changes to teacher encourages all members conference committee. scholarships and Adult fi ne.’ Because it’s not,” said licensure standards and to contact their legislators House Republicans Basic Education. Sen. Dan Schoen during the education funding. about any of the bills, sharing passed an education bill that House Republicans also Senate debate on funding. As of press time, conference their questions, comments increases school funding by eliminated the governor’s Gov. Mark Dayton released committees were discussing or concerns. Education just $271 million. voluntary pre-K program. his supplemental budget the differences between the Minnesota is also organizing House GOP leaders claim The Senate passed its recommendations after the House and Senate bills on a letter-writing campaign they’re increasing the funding education bill that increases budget forecast predicted spending, taxes and policy, to Gov. Dayton, as well as formula by 1.25 percent funding by $300 million. Minnesota’s surplus will all of which have an impact legislators, to make sure each year of the biennium. Most of that goes to a 1.5 increase to $1.65 billion over on education. bills that would hurt the But it’s not a true increase. percent annual increase to the next two years. Once the conference public education system in That 1.25 percent relies the funding formula for the committees work out the our state are voted down or on shifts from delinking next two years. Legislative update, page 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE… WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Education Minnesota President Denise The Minnesota Department of Education Read the article about what is happening Specht discusses the challenges facing releases update on ESSA plan. Page 5 during the last few weeks of the legislative our union and how we will come through Participate in our end-of-session rally session and our efforts to support increased them stronger than ever. Page 2 for public education and letter-writing funding. Then answer the question, “What Delegates to the Representative campaign. Page 6 will your school lose if education funding is Convention vote on items to move the Celebrate Labor History Month by not increased this session?” and send it to us business of our union forward. Page 3 via email, Twitter or Facebook to be entered learning about our union’s past. Page 8 into a drawing for a $25 Target gift card. Guest speakers from our national 11 fi nalists named for the 2017 affl itates and Gov. Mark Dayton Email us at [email protected] or post on Minnesota Teacher of the Year award. bring their passion and power to the Page 10 Twitter or Facebook using #MNEducator. Find convention stage. Page 3 us on Facebook at Education Minnesota and Supreme Court raises bar for special ed on Twitter @EducationMN. Answers will be The 2016 ESP of the Year and 2017 instruction. Legal brief. Page 11 run in next month’s Minnesota Educator. Peterson-Schaubach award winner and Human Rights award winner Summer Seminar registration to open Congratulations to last month’s contest were honored at the Representative May 5. Opportunities. Page 12 winner, Debbie Brown of Goodhue County Convention. Page 4 Education District. Nominations open for the 2017 ESP of the Year award. Page 5 PERSPECTIVES Changing from private spectators to public advocates I love Facebook. Twitter, party in Minnesota won but I’ll remind them of the “political correctness,” our too. the House, Senate and words the great abolitionist work in schools and colleges I can spend hours keeping governor’s residence. Frederick Douglass, “Those to spread simple decency up with old friends and As I write this, we’re facing who profess to favor has made Minnesota a more learning more about the education budgets from the freedom, and yet depreciate civilized place. We’re still on people I see every day. My House and Senate that are agitation, are (people) who the journey and the fi nish line feeds include interesting smaller than inflation, the want crops without plowing is far away, but ask yourself articles and there’s always de-funding of pre-K, a bill up the ground.” this: Would a majority of something to comment that would allow people It’s a shorter walk from Minnesotans have voted for on, especially in the past without college degrees to spectator to activist than marriage equality even 15 three months. teach for eight years and a some people think because years ago? Probably not. My pages do get political, bill to create school vouchers most educators are already Laws didn’t change society. but it’s good to trade ideas through the back door of the partway there. We’re Educators did. The laws just with friends. They always state tax code. just asking everyone to caught up. understand when I vent and The challenges are real, keep going. If we want to keep on this most are sympathetic because Denise Specht, president but so are the opportunities. Assigning the novels of march of progress toward they see the same problems To paraphrase Eleanor Toni Morrison or Margaret decency, diversity, empathy I do. Roosevelt, a union is like a Atwood in high school is a and equal access to all the Does that sound familiar? who supports taxpayer- tea bag—you can’t tell how political act. So is presenting opportunities for a good life, I’ve been thinking a lot funded vouchers for private strong it is until you put it in the poetry of Sandra Cisneros we all need to act. Reaching about social media and schools; unregulated, for- hot water. We will soon see or Naomi Shihab Nye, or out to people who might politics lately because I’m profit charter schools and how strong we are by the giving out tiny drops of not agree, and old-fashioned worried too many educators puts greedy lenders ahead of advocacy of our members. empathy from Leo Lionni to people-powered politics, are think going back and forth college students. There are already the newest readers. how Education Minnesota with friends on Facebook The newest justice on good signs. There are You’re already an activist will get through the storm. makes them an activist. It the U.S. Supreme Court is engagement plans in 258 if you teach the Stonewall So, for the good of our really doesn’t. Neil Gorsuch, who replaces Education Minnesota locals, riots in the same frame as the students, our schools and When it comes down to it, an Antonin Scalia as a solid vote representing more than march on Selma, the Ludlow our union, please consider educator having an authentic against working people. We 74,500 members. More than Strike, Kent State and Boston logging off for a few nights face-to-face conversation can expect more rulings from 550 educators have come to Harbor. And you are engaged this spring and having with her neighbors is worth the court restricting voting the Capitol for lobby days. if you provide a safe space for some sincere conversations 50 people holding up their rights, limiting access to birth Since January, educators transsexual students to eat about public education phones and Facebooking control and destabilizing have sent more than 13,000 lunch, or give an extra boost with someone who might to each other. If we don’t unions by forcing them emails and made 1,000 calls to a girl with the talent and not agree you. It’s our best understand the difference, to bargain contracts for to lawmakers. interest to be a scientist, or bet to protect the progress our schools could be in big free-riders. Those are some big step in against bullying and we’ve made… trouble. There are tough Collective bargaining has numbers, but they won’t hate speech. Together, times ahead for educators gone down in Michigan, be enough to turn the anti- You’re already an activist and public education. We Arizona, Wisconsin and school tide in this country. if you volunteer your time to need to be ready with a level Iowa in the past few years Even more educators need to mentor a student of color, or of public engagement we have with the help of oceans of transform from social media a student living in poverty, rarely achieved. dark money for misleading spectators to activists. who needs just a little more Twitter: @DeniseSpecht The U.S. Secretary of political ads. It could happen It’s easy for some people to of you to succeed.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Voice Action Ideas Vision
    Voice Ideas Vision Action 360 Degree Leadership: Evaluating Minnesota Principals A COLLABORATIVE REPORT FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE VIVA PROJECT MINNESOTA TEACHERS IDEA EXCHANGE Prepared for: Governor Mark Dayton Prepared by: Members of The VIVA Project Minnesota Teachers Idea Exchange Writing Collaborative on behalf of their peers in The VIVA Project Minnesota Teachers Idea Exchange Delivered: February 22, 2012 Abstract & Summation: Classroom teachers and instructional personnel in public schools across Minnesota spent hundreds of hours considering the ways a principal should support both students and teachers and how those efforts can best be measured. Empowered by cutting-edge technology, these teaching professionals shared hundreds of ideas. Then, a small group of their colleagues distilled those ideas into 10 recommendations for ensuring principals are good managers and strong instructional leaders who can create the positive school climate needed to ensure student success. Partners: Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher and Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius www.vivateachers.org Voice Ideas THE VIVA PROJECT OF MINNESOTA Introduction Vision Action The VIVA (Voice Ideas Vision Action) Project of Minnesota asked instructional personnel—classroom teachers, librarians, technology resource specialists and others from across the state—to share their voice, their ideas, and their classroom experience about what a good principal does and how to measure those things. This Idea Exchange occurred during a pivotal time in Minnesota as the state grapples with implementing a principal evaluation system. The online Idea Exchange, made possible by a Web-based technology operated by The VIVA Project, was open to any Minnesota public school instructional professional who wished to join the conversation for two weeks, from January 2–16, 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Labor About Supporting Their Favorite “The Only Way to Get Money Body’S Screening of Political Candidate As They See Fit
    (ISSN 0023-6667) Murphy, Kron, Sweeney get endorsements Wellstone Hall was packed days after the Primary Election As a former teacher she with almost 100 union mem- will narrow the field. Prior to feels terrible that the state has bers and guests for the Duluth the Primary, unions can go not kept its promise to schools. AFL-CIO Central Labor about supporting their favorite “The only way to get money Body’s screening of political candidate as they see fit. to classrooms is with special candidates August 14. Large There are five DFLers, one levies, and that’s supposed to numbers usually mean trou- Republican, and one Indepen- be the state’s job,” she said. ble’s brewing, but the night dent in the race for Jaros’ 7B “The economy hasn’t kept up proved to be anti-climactic as a seat. with the promises so property An Injury to One is an Injury to All! quick no-endorsement deci- Rep. Mary Murphy taxes rise.” sion, or something like that, Duluth faces such a levy WEDNESDAY VOL. 114 was made in the contentious The only legislative CLB this fall that is earmarked for AUGUST 27, 2008 NO. 5 Minnesota House of Represen- endorsement that was forth- students but faces a tough fight tatives District 7B race. coming August 14 was for Rep. because of the long range facil- When the evening ended Mary Murphy in District 6B, ities plan, which labor sup- Rep. Mary Murphy (House and it was unanimous. Murphy ports. District 6B), and St. Louis faces an opponent that will be a See Screenings...page 23 County Commissioners Bill bigger challenge for her than Kron (District 3) and Peg she has generally faced in her Sweeney (District 5) received 16 terms in the House begin- the only endorsements.
    [Show full text]
  • A Classroom Teachers' Approach to Evaluation
    Voice Ideas Vision Action Strengthening Our Practice: A Classroom Teachers’ Approach to Evaluation A COLLABORATIVE REPORT FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE VIVA MINNESOTA TEACHERS IDEA EXCHANGE II Prepared for: Governor Mark Dayton and the MDE Teacher Evaluation Work Group Prepared by: Members of The VIVA Minnesota Teachers Writing Collaborative II Delivered: October 25, 2012 Abstract & Summation: Instructional personnel in public schools across Minnesota spent hundreds of hours debating how best to evaluate teaching in a way that would have the most benefit for student achievement. Then a small group of their colleagues distilled those ideas into 10 recommendations for ensuring Minnesota’s model teacher evaluation leads to improved teacher quality and, in turn, improved student learning. Partners: Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher and Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius www.vivateachers.org Voice Ideas THE VIVA MINNESOTA TEACHERS IDEA EXCHANGE II Introduction Vision Action The VIVA (Voice Ideas Vision Action) Minnesota Teachers Idea Exchange II invited instructional personnel — classroom teachers, librarians, technology resource specialists and others from across the state — to share their professional expertise about how to build a better model teacher evaluation. This VIVA Idea Exchange occurred during a pivotal time in Minnesota as the state works to create a model teacher evaluation. The online VIVA Idea Exchange uses a combination of technology operated by New Voice Strategies and powered by SocialSphere. Facilitation is provided by veteran journalist Cindy Richards to ensure the conversation is safe, productive and available whenever teachers are. The VIVA Minnesota Teachers Idea Exchange II was open from August 25, 2012– September 17, 2012.
    [Show full text]