At least it is not dull in MN right now. Thoughts?
Parents United Update 8Apr11
Parents United Update 1Apr11
Parents United News and Events
MPR Dayton Objects to GOP Plan
MN House HF934
HF934 Summary 1Apr11
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3 comments:
about the $,
parents united summed it up well:
"both House and Senate Education Omnibus bills include increases on the per pupil formula each year for the next three years.
But without state revenue increases these school funding increases are simply being pulled from the hands of our children with special needs, our children who live in poverty, and our youngest, newest citizens."
As a parent of suburban kids and a teacher of urban, immigrant, spec ed students, I'm torn on how to fairly allocate the dollars we do have. I am glad I don't have to decide. Of course, if it were really up to me we would be raising taxes and spending more on E-12 (and higher ed and HHS)
MN 2020 reports on funding trends:
"..real (i.e., inflation-adjusted) state aid to Minnesota public schools declined by $1,401 (14.7 percent) from FY 2003 to FY 2011 in constant FY 2011 dollars. Largely in response to the decline in state aid, real per pupil property taxes increased by $900 (135.8 percent).† Because the levy increase was not sufficient to replace the aid reduction, the total per pupil operating revenue for Minnesota public schools fell by $501 (4.9 percent)."
With our $5 billion deficit I have no hope for greater funding, HHS and higher end are taking much bigger hits. Where the education bills will get interesting is on the policy side of things. It seems like Dayton has more power here than he does re funding.
The quality of education is completely unrelated to the amount of money we spend on it, at least in comparing all schools in Minnesota. So saying that we are "cutting funding" says absolutely nothing about the future quality of education, for anybody. It all depends on HOW the money gets spent, and on what. If we want to improve educational outcomes, we need to demand that schools improve educational outcomes, period. We can then either financially reward schools that do, take away money from schools that don't, or establish some sort of contest fund where the schools with the best ideas for improving get the extra dollars (subject to actual results obtained). I wish we had a system where a school could go and say "we need $3 million to give every kid an IPAD, and we will raise scores 10% over two years, averaged across all students." They would get the money, but if they didn't deliver, they would get a cut the following year.
J. Ewing
Education is important and plays a vital role in our society and its been a great to read about your opinions and what you stand about this.
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