Bill Unveiled. It's not long on specifics in terms of language or appropriations, but we have a start on what the House and Senate version of the K-12 omnibus bill will look like. Here are the highlights.

Funding

• Biennial Target of $14.1 billion (same as what went into conference).
• Basic formula increase of $20/PU for 2011-2012 and $21/PU for 2012-2013 (down a bit from where both bodies came into conference).
• Compensatory and Sparsity De-linked from general education basic formula.
• Integration aid becomes innovation aid for 2011-2012 school year. Starting in S012-2103, districts participating in integration program keep their levy amount, but aid is rolled into Senate literacy incentive program.
• Basic special education growth factor set at 2.0% for current biennium, 4.6% beyond that.
• Excess special education growth factor set at 3.0% for current biennium; 2.0% beyond.
• 70%/30% shift levels made permanent.

Reform Measures (Looks like my earlier prediction was wrong)

• Low-income scholarship program for students in low-performing schools in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth.
• Task Force created to develop teacher evaluation framework created to be implemented in 2012-2013 school year.
• A-through-F school rating system ala Florida.
• Qualified economic offer with binding arbitration for bargaining purposes.

Mandate Relief

• 2% staff development set-aside repealed.
• January 15 negotiating deadline and penalty repealed.
• Safe schools set-aside for counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses repealed.
• Districts can limit the number of 403(b) providers for employees.

I'll know more once language is made available, but this looks like the outline at this point in time. Hard to get a gauge on how it will affect individual districts as there are so many moving parts and with the dramatic reduction in integration revenue, a number of districts will be taking considerable hits.

I'll be back later with more.