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Education
Session Wrap-up
For a complete look at new laws from the 2001 legislative session, including those affecting
education, the House Public Information Office has published a complete summary. Click
here for New Laws 2001.
Increased funding for K-12 education: Minnesota's public schools will receive nearly $8.76 billion
in funding during the 2002-03 biennium, under the omnibus K-12 funding law. The number represents an 8 percent
increase over spending in the previous two years.
Early childhood, family education funding: A 26 percent increase in general fund appropriations
is one of many provisions in the family and early childhood education omnibus law.
Education proposals become law: A bill doesn't have to be included in the omnibus funding measure
to become law. Several provisions are new laws on their own, including a plan allowing certain teacher
candidates to forgo new licensing requirements and a resoultion to urge Congress to fulfill its promise
to fund special education.
Bills
in Limbo: A number of education-related provisions did not become law during the 2001
legislative session, including plans to mandate the Pledge of Allegiance in public and charters schools, repeal the Profile of Learning, and reinstate
the state Board of Education.
Stories from 2001
Pledge
recitation (April 19): The House passed a measure requiring students in public schools to recite the
Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week.
New
board (April 11): The House Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Policy Committee approved a
bill without recommendation that would establish a state board for charter schools.
ABE
funding (April 5): Two bills that would appropriate funds for Adult Basic Education were heard
by the House Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Committee.
Teacher
forgiveness (March 27): Future science, math, industrial technology, and special education teachers may
receive a monetary break in paying for their education.
Learn
and earn (March 20): A bill that would allocate $2.5 million to a graduation incentive program will be
considered for inclusion in a House committee's omnibus bill.
Budget
accountability (March 16): Two bills ensuring school districts would not promise teachers salaries they
could not afford to pay were introduced in the House Education Policy Committee.
Audit
raises more questions (March 13): An investigation into an allegation that the Department of Children,
Families and Learning handled a grant contract inappropriately has uncovered other possible
infractions of state rules.
Reciting
the pledge (March 9): The House Education Policy Committee approved a bill that would require students in
public schools to recite the pledge of allegiance at least once a week.
Freedom
debate (March 7): Proponents of a bill say students should have the opportunity to study America's
founding documents, whether they contain religious or anti-religious content.
Credit concerns raised (Feb. 14): Legislators were told that a plan to limit the number of eligible
expenses and reduce the amount of the state's K-12 education credit would have a severe impact on some
of the state's lower income families.
School
achievement comparisons sought (Feb. 9): A plan to have an outside agency create a consistent
comparison of the financial and academic achievements of school districts received a mixed reception
from members at a House committee meeting.
Legislators challenged (Feb. 2):
Asking members of the House Education Policy Committee to shift the focus from standardized test
results to individual school progress, the director of the Center for School Change at the
University of Minnesota challenged legislators to learn the objectives of schools in their districts.
Financial concerns (Jan. 29): Members of the House K-12 Education Finance Committee argued with
government officials about Gov. Jesse Ventura's intentions for general education after their first
look at 2002-2003 recommendations.
Minnesota
math woes (Jan. 24): Guests to a joint education committee meeting declared two specific reasons
students in Minnesota are not exceeding in math.
Teacher licensure changed (Jan. 12):
A plan that would allow certain teacher candidates to forgo new licensure requirements
that affect graduates beginning in 2001 passed the House on a 131-0 vote.
Teacher Licensure Examined (Jan. 8):
The Education Policy Committee approved a bill (HF34) Jan. 5 that would allow certain
teacher candidates to forgo new licensure requirements that went into effect in 2001.
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