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E-12 Education

TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Thursday, February 21, 2008

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION


E-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE


MINUTES



Representative Carlos Mariani, Chair of the E-12 Education Committee, unofficially called the twenty-sixth meeting to order at 8:07AM on Thursday, February 21, 2008, in the Basement hearing room of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll:

Members present:

MARIANI, Carlos (Chair)
DITTRICH, Denise (Vice-Chair)
BROWN, Robin LAINE, Carolyn
BENSON, John NORNES, Bud
DEMMER, Randy PETERSON, Sandra
DETTMER, Bob SLAWIK, Nora
ERICKSON, Sondra SLOCUM, Linda
GOTTWALT, Steve SWAILS, Marsha
GREILING, Mindy TILLBERRY, Tom
HEIDGERKEN, Bud URDAHL, Dean
HORNSTEIN, Frank WARD, John
HOSCH, Larry WELTI, Andy


Members Excused:

DAVNIE, Jim

A quorum was not present.

HF 2982 (Bly) - A bill for an act relating to education; establishing a five-year pilot program allowing alternative learning centers and charter schools to identify systemic improvement measures to best serve eligible students; appropriating money.

Rep. Bly gave an overview of HF 2982

Testifying on behalf of HF 2982 were:

Terry Lydell, President, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs
James Crannell, Minnesota Council for Quality

Handout: "House File 2982"

Chair Mariani officially called the hearing to order at 8:15 PM.

A quorum was present.

Rep. Benson moved the minutes for February 19, 2008. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED.

Chair Mariani moved that HF 2982 be recommended to pass, and referred to the committee on Finance, with a recommended re-referral to the K-12 Finance Division.

Questions and Discussion followed.

Commenting on the Minnesota Department of Education's position on HF 2982 was:

Assistant Commissioner Karen Klinzing, Minnesota Department of Education

Questions and Discussion followed.

Chair Mariani renewed his motion that HF 2982 be recommended to pass, as amended, and referred to the committee on Finance, with a recommended re-referral to the K-12 Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 3292 (Dittrich) - A bill relating to education; establishing a grant program to help communities promote, practice, and cultivate positive child and youth development; appropriating money.

Rep. Dittrich moved that HF 3292 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the committee on Government Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections.

Rep. Dittrich moved the following oral amendment:

Page 1, Line 10, delete "sole"

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying about the history of school trust lands and HF 3292 was:

Marty Vadis, Director, Division of Lands and Minerals, Department of Natural Resources
Handouts: "School Trust Lands - Revenue for Schools"
“The State Needs to Pay More Attention to School Trust Obligations"

Testifying as to the Department of Natural Resources’ position was:

Bob Meiers, Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Government Relations, Department of Natural Resources

Testifying on behalf of HF 3292 was:

Kirk Schneidawind, Minnesota School Board Association

Questions and Discussion followed.

Rep Dittrich renewed her motion that HF 3292 be recommended to pass, and re-referred to the committee on Government Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 3290 (Peterson, S) - a bill for an act relating to education; providing for school readiness assessments and kindergarten transition strategies; appropriating money.

Rep. S. Peterson moved that HF 3290 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the committee on Finance, with a recommended re-referral to the Early Childhood Learning Division.

Testifying on behalf of HF 3290 was:

Todd Otis, President, Ready for K
Sue Hix, Community Education, Princeton Schools and Princeton Area Early Childhood Coalition
Lynn Tchida, Community Educatoin Director, Bemidji Area Schools

Handouts: “Using School Readiness Study Information in Your Community"
“Community Education Princeton Schools, School Readiness Assessment in Our School District"

Rep. S. Peterson moved the following oral amendment:

Page 1, Line 15, Delete “The" and insert “A district’s"

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Questions and Discussion followed.

Testifying against HF 3290 was:

Karen Effrem, Policy Analyst, EdWatch

Rep. S. Peterson renewed her motion that HF 3290 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the committee on Finance, with a recommended re-referral to the Early Childhood Learning Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:39 AM.

____________________________________
REP. CARLOS MARIANI, CHAIR



____________________________________
Celeste Marin
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF2982 (Bly) Alternative learning centers and charter schools five-year pilot program established to identify systemic improvement measures to best serve eligible students, and money appropriated.
HF3292 (Dittrich) School trust fund lands management provided, school trust fund land return improvements provided, Permanent School Fund Advisory Committee mission redefined, and report provided.
HF3290 (Peterson, S.) School readiness assessments and kindergarten transition strategies provided, and money appropriated.

HF2974 (Dittrich) has been removed from the agenda.
More Info On This Meeting..

*This portion of the meeting was canceled due to an extended House floor session.*

Report from task force to compare federal and state special education requirements
Persons interested in testifying should contact Christina Gosack at 651-296-5524 or Shannon Patrick at 651-296-5098.