Education News: March 3-9, 2012

On Thursday, March 8, about 50 AMSD and LAC members attended the AMSD Day at the Capitol.  Participants started the day by observing the House Education Reform Committee and listened to bill presentations on prone restraint and allowing for mayoral control of the Minneapolis and St. Paul School Districts.  After the hearing, attendees attended a briefing that included an update on the 2012 session and a presentation on using social media and other technology to follow legislative proceedings.  Following the overview, Rep. Garofalo, Chair of the Education Finance Committee, Rep. Greiling, Minority Lead for the House Education Finance Committee, Kevin McHenry from the Department of Education and Greg Marcus, Committee Administrator for the Senate Education Committee served on panel and provided attendees a session update and opportunity to ask questions.  The Day at the Capitol event concluded with a chance to observe the House Education Finance Committee which included Rep. Garofalo’s bill presentation on a proposal that would take $430 million from the budget reserve account and direct it toward beginning to pay back the education shift.  The bill also contains the “last in, first out” (LIFO) House language, a bill that has passed both bodies and is currently headed to conference committee.  Participants also scheduled meetings with their local legislators throughout the day and talked about AMSD legislative priorities.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Shortages of ADHD Drugs Felt in Classrooms, Education Week

MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE, STATE POLICIES AND MINNESOTA NEWS

• A School Calendar Based on Student Needs, Association of Metropolitan School Districts
• Editorial: Productive ambition at the ‘U’, Pioneer Press
• GOP pushes to repay schools with state budget reserves, Star Tribune
• Stillwater school board OKs $6.4 million in budget cuts, Pioneer Press
• Minnesota House GOP ties ‘last in, first out’ measure to school payback bill, Pioneer Press
• AMSD Day at the Capitol Materials, Association of Metropolitan School Districts
• House education finance committee takes up disclosure overhaul, Pioneer Press
• Relief, but not much: How forecasted surplus will affect schools, Minnpost

NATIONAL NEWS

• States Loosening ‘Seat Time’ Requirements, Education Week
• Hard-Working Teachers, Sabotaged When Student Test Scores Slip, New York Times
• Parent trigger: School tests California law that allows takeover via petition, Washington Post

RESEARCH & REPORTS

• Growing Gaps Bring Focus on Poverty’s Role in Schooling, Education Week
• Survey: Teacher Job Satisfaction Hits a Low Point, Education Week
• Black Students Face More Discipline, Data Suggests, New York Times

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

• Lakeville educators celebrate iPads in the classroom, Pioneer Press
• Duncan Talks Tech at SXSWedu, US Department of Education