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State Representative Paul Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4317
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
GUEST COLUMN
Education program causes a stir
By State Rep. Paul Anderson
With activity at the Capitol slowing down for the two state political conventions, an April 20 joint hearing of the education committees of both the House and Senate could cause action to heat up, once again. The reason is that if Minnesota wants to apply for the second round of federal education funding known as Race to the Top (RTTT), legislative action needs to be taken that enhances our chance of being awarded some of the $4.2 billion in funding being doled out from Washington.
Minnesota’s application for first round of funding failed badly. We weren’t even picked among the finalists, from which two states – Delaware and Tennessee – eventually were chosen to receive funding. The criteria for determining who gets money in the second round remains basically the same, only it’s anticipated that all states will have better applications this time.
One of the problems with our first application was the lack of support from Education Minnesota, our state’s largest teacher union. ED MN has concerns about several components of RTTT, such as teacher evaluation being tied to student achievement and alternative pathways to teacher certification. These are legitimate concerns, and there needs to be a buy-in from teachers before these reform ideas will work.
It’s hoped the legislation can be finalized by May 1, because it needs to be approved by local school districts and then submitted to Washington by June 1. Senator LeRoy Stumpf said he wished it was still March, and not April, because of the short timeline to get this work done. He added, however, “Sometimes, we work better under pressure.”
Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said of the new application, “We want to work with as many stakeholders as possible and be bolder with this application. The main goals of RTTT are to close the achievement gap and to place teachers where they will do the most good.”
Another more controversial aspect of the new bill establishes a five-year teacher tenure system. After a teacher completes a probationary period, this proposed legislation would allow school districts to renew or not renew a teacher’s contract every five years based on a professional growth plan, measures of student achievement, and locally selected criteria. It would allow a teacher who is not renewed to request a hearing, and it would also allow school districts to terminate the employment contract of a teacher who is not recommended for a continuing five-year contract.
It’s going to be interesting to see if all these pieces can come together in time to get agreement on this legislation. The teachers union, however, is in a tough situation. They propose more funding for smaller class sizes and enhanced teacher preparation as ways to improve student performance. But, with today’s economy and the extremely tight state budget, we probably can’t afford that. An editorial in the Mankato Free Press went so far as to say, “Minnesota’s teachers’ union needs to stop blocking efforts at needed education reforms.”
Another development from last week’s Education Committee meeting had to do with Tom Dooher, ED MN’s president, being seated at the head committee table during the hearing. (Also at the same table was Education Commissioner Seagren). Due to the large number of legislators involved with the hearing, there weren’t enough seats for all.
The next day during the House floor session, Republicans raised the issue of registered lobbyists being seated at committee tables during hearings. To me it seemed inappropriate and could give the wrong impression. As a result, House Rules were unanimously amended to prevent this situation from happening again.
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Rep. Anderson encourages constituents to contact his office with input regarding any state legislative issue. He can be reached on the web at www.house.mn/13A and via email at rep.paul.anderson@house.mn. To contact Anderson by phone, call (651) 296-4317. Mail can be sent to Rep. Paul Anderson, 239 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.
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