A glance at Week 8 of the Legislative Session: April 25-29

Action Alert: Ask legislative leaders to renegotiate their budgets to provide at least $45 million of the $900 million state budget surplus to the general education funding formula

WATCH: MSBA Executive Director Kirk Schneidawind advocates for affordable broadband access for all Minnesota schools and students

Minnesota Senate approves Omnibus Education Policy Bill

Senate OKs supplemental budget bill — includes $85M for broadband, extra $96M for E-12/higher education

House adopts amendments, OKs omnibus education bill

Minnesota Senate approves Elections Omnibus Bill; bill revises law for special school board elections

MSBA joins coalition advocating for broadband access for all Minnesotans

Gov. Dayton increases budget target for education

Amendments on crumb rubber moratorium, health insurance bids fail

Meeting delves into data collection and reporting under the Every Student Succeeds Act

Every Student Succeeds Act meeting explores standards and assessment

National School Boards Association supports Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act

Session Daily: House passes omnibus education bill with limited funding, controversial policy

Session Daily: Broadband battle as House passes omnibus ag, environment, jobs package

A Look Ahead

Please watch this blog and MSBA’s social media sites next week for additional Legislative Action Alerts as we learn about issues needing our immediate attention.

The next Monday Morning Coffee conference call is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, May 2. Participate by calling 1-866-939-8416 and then enter code 3384568. (Please keep your microphone on mute until the question-and-answer portion.) LISTEN to the April 25 conference call.

The Senate Capital Investment Committee is meeting 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 2, at the Minnesota Senate Building (Room 1200) to discuss SF 2839 (University of Minnesota higher education asset preservation and replacement (HEAPR) bond issue and appropriation)

The Senate Education Committee will meet 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 3, at the Minnesota Senate Building (Room 2412). The agenda includes: confirmation hearings for the Board of the Minnesota State Academies, the Board of the Perpich Center for Arts Education, the School Trust Lands Director, the Board of School Administrators and the Board of Teaching.

The Minnesota Department of Education’s next Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Topic Area Meeting — regarding “Guidance Regarding Title Programs and Requirements” — is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, at its office located at 1500 Highway 36 West in Roseville (Conference Center B, Room 16). Visit https://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Welcome/Direc for directions. See the remaining schedule at http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/ESSA/MDE035276.