K-12 conference committee underway

A conference committee on the omnibus education finance bills has begun its work, with meetings held April 12 and 14 to review side-by-side comparisons of House and Senate provisions.

HF934*/ SF1030 is sponsored by Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) and Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista).

Both bodies have a target of approximately $14.16 billion but would prioritize different programs. Both bills would increase the basic formula amount by $50 in 2012 to $5,174 per pupil unit. The House would increase it by another $36 in 2013 and by $45 in 2014. The Senate would increase it by $50 in 2013, but not at all in 2014.

Both bodies propose to cut the Education Department budget: 30 percent in the House version and about 15 percent in the Senate proposal.

Some House provisions not in the Senate bill are a scholarship program for low-income students to attend nonpublic schools; increases in extended time revenue; a new category of small schools revenue; converting the Perpich Center for Arts Education from a state agency to a charter school; a school grading system; and $10 million for early childhood scholarships.

Similarities include that both bodies would repeal a Safe Schools levy set-aside and a Jan. 15 deadline and aid penalty for districts that don’t settle their teacher contracts, and would eliminate the integration aid revenue category and repurpose funds for innovation revenue, in the case of the House, and growth aid and proficiency aid in the case of the Senate.

Both versions would prohibit teacher strikes. The Senate proposes to freeze teacher wages including cost of living increases, through June 30, 2013. The House would require they accept a qualified economic offer, essentially limiting them to an increase proportional to any basic formula increase.

Both would also link teacher evaluations more heavily to student test scores, though the Senate proposal is a broader directive allowing school boards to determine the evaluation methods, while the House proposal prescribes specific ratings and an appraisal framework districts would use.