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E-12 Education

THIRTIETH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Tuesday, March 4, 2008

STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTIETH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION


E-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

MINUTES


Representative Denise Dittrich, Vice Chair of the E-12 Education Committee, unofficially called the thirtieth meeting to order at 8:07 AM on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll:

Members present:

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


Members Excused:

ABELER, Jim
DETTMER, Bob

A quorum was not present.

HF 3472 (Mariani) - A bill for an act relating to education; providing for a plan to reduce the achievement gap.

Chair Dittrich officially called the hearing to order at 8:14 AM. A quorum was present.

Rep. Mariani moved that HF 3472 to be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance, with a further recommendation that it be re-referred to the K-12 Education Finance Division.

Rep. Mariani moved the H3472DE8 (attached) amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Mariani presented HF 3472, as amended.

Testifying on HF 3472, as amended, were:

Dr. Manuel Barrera, Director of Research, Minnesota Minority Education Partnership;
Mr. Stan Mack, Superintendent, Robbinsdale Area Schools; Rep. Carlos Mariani; Teresa Graham, Licensed Social Worker; Dr. Karen Effrem, Ed Watch; Pat King, Director of School Improvement, Department of Education.

Questions and discussion followed.

Mariani renewed his motion that HF 3472, as amended, be recommended to pass. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Chair Mariani resumed the chair.

HF 3629 (Slocum), - A bill for an act relating to education; establishing a temporary, three-year appeals process for high school seniors who do not receive a passing score on the state GRAD test; and evaluation and recommendations made by education commissioner.

Rep. Slocum moved that HF 3629 be recommended to pass.

The following people testified on HF 3629:

Rep. Linda Slocum; Kent Pekel, University of Minnesota, College Readiness Consortium; Jim Bartholomew, Minnesota Business Partnership; Dr. Mattson, Department of Education.

Questions and comments followed.

Chair moved HF 3629 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting recessed at 9:50 am.

The meeting reconvened at 6:05 pm.

HF 3347 (Moe) - A bill for an act relating to education; clarifying the appeals process for adequate yearly progress designations.

Chair Mariani moved HF 3347 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance.

Chair Mariani moved amendment H3347A1 (attached). THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Moe testified on HF 3347. He also referred to letters of support (attachment #1); Christy Hovanetz Lassila, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Education.

Questions and comments followed.

Chair Mariani renews the motion that HF 3347, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Report of Task Force to Compare State and Federal Special Education Requirements. The following people presented testimony on the report:

Commissioner James Cunningham, Bureau of Mediation Services, explained the report
John Guthmann, parent of a child with disabilities
Dan Stewart, Minnesota Disability Law Center
Denny Ulmer, Bemidji Regional Interdistrict Council
Peter Martin, Attorney on behalf of School Board Association
Jim Field, President, Independent School Forum
Stacey Pumper, Special Education Teacher and a parent with a child of special needs

Chair Mariani acknowledged and thanked all the parents and children in the audience for their participation.

Questions and comments followed.

HF 3390 (Loeffler) - A bill or an act relating to public health; adding nutrition as a required academic standard; requiring a BMI monitoring program for children and youth.

Chair Mariani moved HF 3390 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance.

Chair Mariani moved amendment HDA-540 (attached). THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Mariani moved for an amendment. Lisa Larson spoke on the proposed amendment. Ms. Larson will write out the amendment and give it to the Committee Legislative Assistant.

Rep. Loeffler presented an overview of HF 3390, as amended.

Also testifying on HF 3390:
Charlie Kyte, Executive Director, MASA
Mary Cecconi, Parents United for Education

Lisa Larson explained amendment.

Chair Mariani moved amendment #2 (attached). THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED.

Rep. Ward moved the following amendment on HDA-540: Line 1.13, after "implementation" insert "." and delete the remaining language. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Further testifying on the bill:
Cara McNults, Department of Health
Becky Leschner, Director of Food & Nutrition; and Karen Klinzing, Assistant Director, Department of Education

Chair Mariani moved the following amendment:

Page 4, line 4.26, delete "make recommendations for statewide" and insert “recommend to the commissioner"
Line 4.27, delete “curriculum" and insert “academic".
Line 4.27, delete “that should be adopted". THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Mariani renews the motion that HF 3390, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 3465 (Swails) - A bill for an act relating to education; modifying the reporting of assessment results.

Rep. Swails withdrew HF 3465.

HF 3263 (Clark) - A bill for an act relating to education; integrating instruction about the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities into teacher preparation and licensing requirements

Chair Mariani moved HF 3263 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance.

The following people testified:
Rep. Karen Clark
Jackie Fraedrich, Program Director for Student Services, Robbinsdale Area Schools
Elaine Salinas, Migizi Communications
Karen Klinzing, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Education
Karen Balmer, Executive Director, Board of Teaching
Mike Hiah, Perpich Center for Arts Education

Questions and comments followed.

Lisa Larson explained a proposed amendment.

Chair Mariani moved the amendment (#1 attached). THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Lisa Larson explained the amendment.

Chair Mariani moved an amendment as follows:
Page 4, line 4.6, delete "Indians" and insert "Indian"
Page 4, line 4.6, after "must" insert "coordinate department efforts to".
THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Mariani renews the motion the HF 3263, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on K-12 Finance.

The meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM.


____________________________________
REP. CARLOS MARIANI, CHAIR


____________________________________
Kris Henry
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF3472 (Mariani) Achievement gap; school district plan to reduce the achievement gap provided.
HF3390 (Loeffler) Public health access fund established, BMI monitoring program for children established, statewide health improvement program established, tobacco impact fees increased, and money appropriated.
HF3347 (Moe) Adequate yearly progress designations appeals process clarified relating to education.
HF3629 (Slocum) GRAD test; Temporary, three-year appeals process established for high school seniors who do not receive a passing score, and evaluation and recommendations made by education commissioner.
HF3465 (Swails) Education assessment results reporting modified.
HF3263 (Clark) American Indian tribes contributions and communities instruction integrated into teacher preparation and licensing requirements, and money appropriated.
Report from Task Force to Compare Federal and State Special Education Requirements.

*The report from the Task Force to Compare State and Federal Special Education Requirements will be first on the 6 PM agenda.

HF3629 (Slocum), HF3465 (Swails) and HF3263 (Clark) have been added to the agenda.