Floor Action!  The Senate plowed through four education-related bills today and if today's action is any indication of how things are going to unfold, it might get a little contentious as we wend our way through the remainder of the regular session.  One interesting indication today is that appears the Senate is intent on passing individual education policy bills instead of folding them into an omnibus bill.  There's no reason why the Senate couldn't include the four bills passed today in a later version of their omnibus bill, but passage today firmly states a Senate position on items that may (or may not) be in the House omnibus education funding and policy bill and can conceivably used in negotiations between the House and Senate as they work to reconcile the final education funding and policy package during conference committee.

Two of the bills--SF 710 (Duckworth) and SF 628 (Chamberlain)--had relatively smooth sailing, passing on votes of 65-0 and 57-8 respectively.  SF 710 would extend school districts' ability to move money between funds by board resolution, which is important in times of financial uncertainty for school districts and SF 628 would require the Minnesota Department of Education to develop a plan to administer the Minnesota Comprehensive Achievement tests to students this spring.  The other two bills--SF 819 (Dornink) and SF 438 (Chamberlain)--were subject to protracted debate and had much closer votes.  SF 819 passed on a 36-29 vote and SF 438 on a vote of 37-27.  The spirited debate and close vote on SF 438 were somewhat expected, as the bill seeks to delay the Minnesota Department of Education's standards review process; a process that has taken on heightened attention this year with discussion of new social studies standards.  The close vote on SF 819, while not entirely unexpected, is a bit of a puzzler as the bill simply creates a pilot program for short-call substitute teachers.  This bill was developed by staff in the Austin school district and it's a modest request that could reap big rewards for school districts throughout the state, but especially those in rural areas, where there are often shortages of people with bachelor's degrees.

It is unclear at this juncture if any of these items will appear on the House side.  The House Education Policy Committee did hear the House companion bill to SF 819 (HF 699--Mueller) after the first committee deadline, but given the close vote in the Senate that was along partisan lines, it may not make the cut in the House.

All in all, today was a preview of what should be a spirited sprint once the Legislature returns from its break for religious holiday observances on April 6.