HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 03-01 State GOP pitches its education proposals PIONEER PRESS 3/1/2016 Main
State GOP pitches its education proposals
> Education proposals
At the Capitol
By Christopher Magan
cmaWn&,12ioneer4ress.eom
Already facing myriad education funding priorities, Minnesota lawmakers added more proposals to the
mix Monday.
Senate Republicans unveiled their "Your School, Your Needs"policy platform at a morning news
conference, including some proposals they pushed last year.
Sen. Sean Nienow, R-Cambridge, the top Republican on the Senate Education Committee, said the
changes would "empower" parents and students by giving them new choices and improve the overall
quality of education students receive.
"Education is absolutely key to success in life,"Nienow said, noting that many of Minnesota's most
challenged students attend the state's most struggling schools.
"This will empower those families that are in a high-risk circumstance to succeed,"Nienow said.
The "Your School, Your Needs" proposals include:
• Using the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, or MCAs, to determine whether third-graders have
the reading skills needed to advance to fourth grade and whether students are proficient enough in math
and reading to graduate from high school.
• Allowing students with special needs or who attend lowperforming schools to use taxpayer money for
private school tuition and expanding tax credits for private school tuition.
• Making optional many of the reports the state requires schools to file and instead accepting districts'
annual "World's Best Workforce"reports, which are designed to measure how well schools are preparing
students for jobs or college.
Some of the GOP's proposals
CONTINUED FROM 3A
could face a tough road in the Senate, where Democrats have a majority.
However, Senate Education Committee chairman Charles Wiger, DFL-Maplewood, said he hopes
several the bills his panel will consider will have bipartisan support.
For example, Wiger said, he also plans to sponsor a bill reducing the paperwork required of school
leaders.
1/2
3/1/2016 Main
"I try to develop a consensus whenever I can," Wiger said, noting any bill must have the support of the
GOP-led House and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton before it can become law.
Also Monday, two dozen education lobbyists and advocates had their final chances to pitch their
priorities to lawmaker before the Legislature convenes next Tuesday.
Altogether, their proposals total nearly $2 billion in new spending in such areas as school operations,
teacher recruitment and expanded access to early learning.
Last year, lawmakers added more than a half-billion dollars in education spending to the two-year
budget. But after Minnesota's budget experts lowered the state's projected budget forecast by $300
million to $900 million Friday, they likely will be more cautious when considering new spending
proposals this year.
"There are a lot of needs out there. In light of the recent budget forecast, I'm trying to rein in
expectations," Wiger said.
1,,,1,Y.03/01 2016 Pag,A03 C,,pyfiot Q 2016,St,Yaul Yiimwr n
2/2