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State Representative Jerry Newton
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5369
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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REP. NEWTON STANDS UP FOR SCHOOLS
ST. PAUL, MN – Facing a multi-billion state budget deficit, state Rep. Jerry Newton (DFL – Coon Rapids), a former Anoka-Hennepin school board member – joined lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to protect K-12 classrooms from any budget cuts this session. The K-12 finance bill (HF3833) passed Tuesday with bipartisan support, enacting no cuts to students. It includes significant reforms to save schools money and improve student achievement.
“There are some things worth fighting for," said Rep. Newton. “Minnesota’s strongest foundation is our nation-leading education system. We may not be able to afford much these days, but we certainly can’t afford to gamble with our children’s future. Maintaining our commitment to Minnesota students is critically important.”
The bill does more than hold school funding steady. It helps stabilize local school budgets in these volatile fiscal times. An amendment drafted by Rep. Newton allows local school boards to continue levy referenda during the ongoing economic crisis. Those decisions, according to Rep. Newton’s amendment, could be overturned by voters through a reverse referendum process. The provision does not permit school boards to raise property taxes without voter approval.
“As school districts work with fewer and fewer resources, it’s more important than ever to give local school leaders more flexibility,” said Newton. “School budgets are already stretched to the limit, and costs keep going up. This is just one more tool to help local schools to meet the needs of students during these uncertain times.”
In addition, HF3833 contains a number of important reforms to save schools money and improve student and teacher achievement, including:
• Requires annual teacher and principal evaluations
• Removes costly unfunded mandates from local school districts
• Allows computer-adaptive reading and math tests for 3rd through 8th graders
• Enhances oversight of Permanent School Trust Fund to put more dollars in Minnesota classrooms without raising taxes
• Allows qualifying students to graduate earlier and receive a college scholarship – scholarships range from$2,500 for graduating one semester early to $5,000 for graduating two semesters early to $7,500 for graduating three semesters early
• Requires high school algebra end-of-course assessment that provides information on students’ college and career readiness
• Creates an advisory task force on school desegregation and integration
• Helps school districts find ways to operate more efficiently
“The state may not be rich, but this bill is a wealth of much-needed reform,” Rep. Newton said. “It’s just the kind of forward-thinking change we need in our classrooms today.”
The bill is now headed to conference committee before being re-passed and sent to Governor Pawlenty.
News Items
- LOCAL LAWMAKERS HELP DELIVER NEEDED RELIEF TO FLOOD, TORNADO VICTIMS - (Posted: 2010-10-19 00:00:00)
- REP. NEWTON STANDS UP FOR SCHOOLS - (Posted: 2010-05-12 00:00:00)
- A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL KIDS TO PLAY - (Posted: 2010-04-21 00:00:00)
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