Wednesday Report.  Wednesday morning allows for a little catching up as there are no education-related committee hearings until the early afternoon when the House Education Finance Committee meets.  That committee spent its time discussing the various programs that make up community education and heard Representative Cheryl Youakim's HF 625, a bill that would increase the community education revenue program by $2.25 per resident.  Currently, a district's community education revenue equals the greater of $5.42 times 1,335 or $5.42 times the district's total population.  HF 625 would increase the $5.42 multiplier to $7.67.  You may want to check out the House Education Finance Home Page.  In the right hand column, you will see all of the documents that were distributed at today's meeting and these documents provide a great description of the community education programs and how they are funded.  House Education Finance staff does an excellent job of getting these documents online for each committee meeting, so check back there often if you see a bill or subject that you have an interest in.

House Education Finance Committee Home Page

The Senate Education Finance Committee spent its second consecutive hearing on character education, hearing from a variety of groups promoting it.  With all the talk about guns and building security in the wake of the Parkland tragedy, not nearly enough has been said about school environment and the necessity to build healthy and resilient student bodies.  Hopefully, this discussion will help school districts develop ways to reach that elusive goal.

Governor Releases School Safety Package.  A day after the House unveiled its plan to expand the uses of Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue, Governor Dayton released a set of proposals that aim to provide school districts with greater resources along with flexibility to address school security needs, both in terms of building improvements and additional personnel.

Here is an outline of the Governor's plan:

Equalize and increase the safe schools levy. This proposal would do following 4 things:

· In FY19 only, it would provide all school districts and charter schools $18 per pupil in Safe Schools Aid for the same purposes currently identified as an allowable use under the safe schools levy statute. School districts would be guaranteed to receive at least $22,500 from the sum of the aid and the existing levy.

· In FY20 and beyond:

• It would double the Safe Schools Revenue allowance from $36 per pupil to $72 per pupil and create a minimum revenue amount for school districts of $30,000.

• It would equalize the levy at 60% of the state average ANTC/pupil unit. This would give low tax base districts access to this revenue.

• Charter schools would receive $36 per pupil in Safe Schools Aid. The levy and aid must be spent on items identified in the safe schools levy statute including: facility enhancements, costs for school counselors, peace officers, and crime and drug abuse prevention.

Pupil Fair Dismissal Act. Proposal includes:

· Additional requirements on services such as mental health services and threat assessments. Clarifying a district’s and charter school’s obligation to provide alternative education services, including when a student makes an agreement to withdraw. Requirement would apply to expulsions, exclusions and agreements to withdraw. Comprehensive services provided until the student enrolls in another school district or charter school.

· New language outlines a district’s responsibility to review the student’s work and grades on a quarterly basis to ensure they are on track for readmission with their peers. Also requires regular communication with parents and the school to ensure student is completing the work assigned.

· Updates language about the readmission process to reflect social emotional learning rather than just character education.  It could also address other services, such as counseling and social work services.

· Improves data sharing between districts about students.

School Linked Mental Health Grants. Proposal includes:

· An increase of $5M for school linked mental health grants in the DHS budget.

The Governor's proposal more closely mirrors that of Senator Carla Nelson's, which simply adds aid to the current safe schools levy than the House approach of broadening the uses of Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue.  The Governor's approach of equalizing the levy may allow school districts to get more bang for the buck, as the aid would go toward mitigating levy disparities that exist between high and low property wealth school districts and stretch the state aid further in the process.  As I wrote yesterday, House Education Finance Chair Jenifer Loon made it clear that she was open to any and all suggestions as her bill--HF 3320--moves forward and that would include suggestions to add more revenue to the system.