Today, the 86th MN Legislature will convene at 12:00 Noon to begin the 2009 session. While today is mostly ceremonial, legislative committees are already at work and hearings will be underway beginning tomorrow. In terms of education, formal committee actions will begin on Thursday – January 8th.
Thursday – January 8th
(House) K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee chaired by Rep. Mariani is holding its organizational meeting to introduce members and review committee procedures. Note: Since all members of the House were up for election this past November there are new committee members – we will be sending out a list of committee members shortly.
The regular meeting schedule of the Committee is: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 8:30-10:00 AM.
(House) K-12 Education Finance Committee chaired by Rep. Greiling has not announced any hearings as of this morning.
The regular meeting schedule of the Committee is: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 2:45- 4:15 PM.
(Senate) E-12 Education Budget Division is holding a hearing on a School District - Shared Services Initiative. Next week the E-12 Education Budget Division has two days of scheduled hearings for Education Finance Overview.
The regular meeting schedule is: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – 8:30 – 11:00 AM.
Note: The committee structure in the Senate has been revamped and roles of some Senators revised:
E-12 Education Budget Division
Chair: Senator Stumpf
Deputy Chair: Senator Wiger
Vice Chair Budget: Senator Bonoff
Vice Chair Policy: Senator Rummel
Ranking Minority Member: Senator Gen Olson
Education
Chair: Senator Stumpf
Deputy Chair: Senator Wiger
Vice Chair: Senator Rummel
Comment: Basically the restructuring of the Committees means that the stand alone Education Policy is now a committee of the E-12 Education Budget Division. This has the potential to have significant impact on charter school issues given the positions on some senators regarding charter schools.
The 2009 Legislative Session is a critically important session for charter schools; in terms of policy on charter schools it will be the most important session since the enactment of the charter school law in 1991 - as the proposals for accountability and reform have the potential to bring charters to a new chapter in the history of the movement.
It is also critical in terms of the issue of lease aid in light of the state’s financial situation – any significant cut in lease aid would have dramatic and drastic impact on the future of charters in Minnesota. There are folks in and outside the legislature who understand this and will use the lease aid issue to bring a halt to further growth in chartering at the very least or the end of chartering at the worst.
The effort that will need to be put forward to enact the accountability measures and to ensure that lease aid is maintained at a level that does not continue to erode funding from the classroom will take a herculean effort – that will require everyone getting involved in the effort from today until adjournment on May 19th.
Eugene Piccolo