December 12, 2024

(They are long, but all are worth the read!)

*MASA Contract With MASE To End on June 30, 2025*

For many years five MASA staff, excluding the executive director, have supported the work of MASE. Recent time studies conducted by MASA staff, and increases in member offerings by both organizations have resulted in capacity issues. On December 10, the MASA Board of Directors voted to terminate the contract providing service to MASE effective June 30, 2025.

Here is what is essential to know about this change. We will continue to place a high value on working together with MASE and its members. Our relationship has been outstanding and we look forward to continuing to have the special education component group a part of MASA as noted in our bylaws, and two elected special education representatives to serve on the MASA Board of Directors also noted in the bylaws. It is staff service to MASE that will change, not the value we place on our relationship. This is again about capacity issues, not relationship issues.

We believe both organizations can continue to grow and be responsive to the needs of their respective members more effectively with separate staff. MASA staff will miss working closely with MASE leadership and members. We are grateful for the acceptance of this direction by MASE. All of us at MASA stand prepared to help in ensuring a successful transition.

Questions Regarding Undocumented Immigrants and Possible New Federal Policies?

In response to member questions about the potential impacts of federal policies on undocumented families and their students, we have been in contact with leaders from the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP). They offered to host a webinar that will likely include panelists and an immigration lawyer, free to MASA members, that will take place on Tuesday, December 17 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm during their Emerging Multilingual Learners (EML) Statewide Network meeting. 

Please look for more information to come in the days ahead and save the date if this topic is of interest to you.

Personal Finance Requirement for Students in Grade 9

I have asked the commissioner and deputy commissioner for clarification as to whether or not Personal Finance needs to be a stand-alone course. I believe the law can be read to say Personal Finance must be its own course, or that it can be included in a course for credit.

Deputy Commissioner Graff put me in touch with MDE staff, Nichole Lavin, Sally Reynolds and Brittany Rawson-Haeg this afternoon. Here is what I learned:

• Personal Finance cannot be included in the 3.5 credits of required social studies. Those credit requirements already have specific course requirements. 

• Personal Finance cannot be included in 3 credits of math as those requirements are also already specifically identified.

• Personal Finance cannot be included in economics as that standard has been in place since 2011 and is far different than Personal Finance. It deals with systems rather than the typical finance topics.

• The required .5 Personal Finance credit may be included in elective courses. Here are examples they provided me:

  • • .5 Credit Principles of Financial Literacy (beyond 3.5 credits of social studies)

    • .5 Credit Financial Math Skills (beyond the 3 credit requirement)

    • .5 Credit Decisions for Living

    • .5 Credit for Adulting 101

    • .5 Credit Consumer Strategies

    • .5 Credit Personal Finance and Money Management

    • .5 Credit Personal Financial Management

This direction will allow some flexibility with scheduling and options for students while preserving the .5 Personal Finance requirement to be earned in a course for credit starting with all students who are 9th graders in 2024. 

AASA Needs Assistance re: E-Rate Stories

The message below is from Noelle Ellerson Ng to state executive directors seeking our help in urging our members to complete the survey at the link provided. Please complete this survey, or ask one of your staff who is familiar with the great value of E-Rate to do so. Thank you!

From Noelle… 

“Share Your E-Rate Stories: AASA is coordinating this data collection to streamline efforts to gather stories and anecdotes about E-Rate use in schools across the nation as part of our work for the amicus brief in the upcoming Supreme Court case. We are using one online data form to make it easy for you to share the link with members and to help collect data in a way that can readily be summarized into an overview and specific talking points. We will leave the form open through December 20. Survey Link: https://survey.k12insight.com/r/EdLiNC-24.”

MN House Education Committee Members Announced

On Wednesday, House leaders announced committee member assignments for the next two-year legislative cycle. As shared previously, the committees will be chaired by both DFL and Republican co-chairs and membership is equally divided. The committee appointments are listed below.

At this point, we do not expect any changes to the Senate Education Finance Committee or Senate Education Policy committees, but will share any information if that changes.

House Education Finance committee

Co-Chair: Rep. Cheryl Youakim (DFL – Hopkins)

Co-Chair: Rep. Ron Kresha (GOP – Little Falls)

Vice Chair: Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (DFL – Inver Grove Heights)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Ben Bakeberg (GOP – Jordan)

Rep. Pam Altendorf (GOP – Red Wing)

Rep. Kristen Bahner (DFL – Maple Grove)

Rep. Peggy Bennett (GOP – Albert Lea)

Rep. Tom Dippel (GOP – Cottage Grove)

Rep. Julie Greene (DFL – Edina)

Rep. Josiah Hill (DFL – Stillwater)

Rep. Walter Hudson (GOP – Albertville)

Rep. Pete Johnson (DFL – Duluth)

Rep. Liz Lee (DFL – St. Paul)

Rep. Krista Knudson (GOP – Lake Shore)

Rep. Brian Lawrence (GOP – Princeton)

Rep. Duanne Quam (GOP – Byron)

Rep. Patricia Mueller (GOP – Austin)

Rep. Lucy Rehm (DFL – Chanhassen)

Rep. Kari Rehrauer (DFL – Coon Rapids)

Rep. Drew Roach (GOP – Farmington)

Rep. Max Rymer (GOP – North Branch)

Rep. Bianca Virnig (DFL – Eagan)

Education Policy

Co-Chair: Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL – Minneapolis)

Co-Chair: Rep. Peggy Bennett (GOP – Albert Lea)

Vice Chair: Rep. Josiah Hill (DFL – Stillwater)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Patricia Mueller (GOP – Austin)

Rep. Robert Bierman (DFL – Apple Valley)

Rep. Tom Dippel (GOP – Cottage Grove)

Rep. Alex Falconer (DFL – Eden Prairie)

Rep. Marj Fogelman (GOP – Fulda)

Rep. Jimmy Gordon (GOP – Isanti)

Rep. Julie Greene (DFL – Edina)

Rep. Curtis Johnson (DFL – Roseville)

Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL – Moorhead)

Rep. Brian Lawrence (GOP – Princeton)

Rep. Drew Roach (GOP – Farmington)

Children and Families Finance and Policy:

Co-Chair: Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL – Eden Prairie)

Co-Chair: Rep. Nolan West (GOP – Blaine)

Vice Chair: Rep. Jess Hanson (DFL – Burnsville)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Nathan Nelson (GOP – Hinkley)

Rep. Pam Altendorf (GOP – Red Wing)

Rep. Nathan Coulter (DFL – Bloomington)

Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL – Woodbury)

Rep. Kim Hicks (DFL – Rochester)

Rep. Danny Nadeau (GOP – Rogers)

Rep. Bjorn Olson (GOP – Fairmount)

Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega (DFL – St. Paul)

Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (DFL – Minneapolis)

Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar (GOP – Fredenberg Township)

Still Searching for Resources re; Student Use of Cell Phones in School?

Here you go! This resource is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Leadership Matters!

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle