Note to MSPA Membership: Student Support Services section in bolded below. Marilyn
Senator Chuck Wiger
205 State Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-6820 | sen.chuck.wiger@senate.mn
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2015
Contact: Amelia Cerling
651-296-1939 | Amelia.Cerling@senate.mn | Senate Majority Media
Senate E-12 Committee Highlights Top Priorities
All seven bills focus on creating the World’s Best Workforce
ST. PAUL, MINN – Creating the World’s Best Workforce is the focus of seven bills that will be acted on
this session by the Senate E-12 Education Committee. Committee Chair Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFLMaplewood) said the bills, which range from closing the achievement gap to improving school facilities,
all address problems in the state’s E-12 system.
“We know that in order for students to succeed we need to be focused on their academic careers from
before they enter kindergarten to after they graduate from high school. All of these bills address items that
affect learning, from preparing kids for kindergarten to ensuring they are college and career-ready, and
properly funding school districts to address facilities’ needs,” said Sen. Wiger. “I’m really proud of this
package of bills, and of how we responded to constituent groups and our partners in education.”
The first bills address school facilities funding: S.F. 75 and S.F. 76 work together to help property-poor
districts repair their long-neglected school facilities. Drawn from recommendations of the School
Facilities Financing Working Group, these bills would put rural and suburban districts on more equal
footing with their metro neighbors. Chief author of both bills, Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL-Northfield) says
S.F. 75 equalizes the capital projects referendum levy, bringing more stability to our education facilities.
S.F. 76 streamlines three competing revenue programs and establishes a new long-term facilities
maintenance revenue program.
“We have a responsibility to all students throughout the state, regardless of how large their school is.The
investments we have made in education over the last two years will not be as effective if our students
don’t have a clean and safe environment to study in,” said Sen. Dahle.
Another bill addresses public school pre-k programming for all 4-year-olds in Minnesota and is Chief
Authored by Senator John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin, Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids). Hoffman has
long been a champion of increased funding for early learning initiatives and argues that paying for 4K for
all young Minnesotans will help close the achievement gap and makes good business sense.
“Research has proven that the learning that happens before a child turns 5 is absolutely essential to their
success later in life. By providing free-of-charge pre-k programming to all 4-year-olds in Minnesota we
are helping the next generation of kids be better prepared for kindergarten and everything that comes
after,” said Sen. Hoffman.
The School Readiness Tax Credit, introduced by Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-Edina), is an effort to help
lower the rising costs of childcare, a cost that can make it difficult for children to get the support they
need to be ready for school. Based on a model currently used in Louisiana, the legislation uses the Parent
Aware (http://parentawareratings.org/) ranking system to create tiered credits depending on the quality
rating of the child care provider. It creates a refund that parents can use to help pay the costs of quality
rated opportunities in child care. Additionally, the legislation extends a credit to businesses who seek to
offer quality rated child care support for their own employees.
“Affordable quality child care continues to be a struggle for families, and too often our youngest learners
are not prepared to enter kindergarten. The School Readiness Tax Credit will make it easier for parents to
afford quality rated opportunities in child care, and encourage our businesses to support quality rated
child care opportunities for families,” said Sen. Franzen (DFL-Edina).
Research shows non-academic barriers to learning can impede upon a student’s ability to learn by not allowing them to be
engaged in the classroom or to make the most of their academic learning time. Sen. Alice Johnson (DFL-Blaine) is chief
authoring two bills to help combat several of these non-academic barriers to learning. Offering school breakfasts and
requiring comprehensive eye exams before our children enter kindergarten will help close our achievement gap and help
more kids succeed in Minnesota schools.
“We must find ways to get the best return on our investment from our educational funding,” Sen. Johnson said. “Both the
comprehensive eye exams and the school breakfast legislation I am introducing will go a long way to breaking down nonacademic barriers to learning and closing Minnesota’s achievement gap.”
Sen. Susan Kent (DFL–Woodbury) has proposed legislation that will expand student services,
including counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and chemical dependence counselors.
The Student Support Services Personnel Team Act was drafted in response to a report by the
American School Counselor Association that ranked Minnesota 48th in the nation in terms of our
student-per-counselor ratio. The bill provides local school districts with additional state
investments under a 50/50 local match requirement to ensure that students have better access to
uniquely qualified professionals who provide a full array of student support services that our kids
need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
“We can no longer ignore the lack of funding for student services personnel, as they are conducive
to overall success but are sadly overlooked,” said Sen. Kent. “Helping students create career paths
not only guides them toward success, it makes a better future for all of us. Minnesota students are
our future leaders, and if we provide them the tools and services necessary for future success, then
we all win.”
Sen. Greg Clausen (DFL-Apple Valley) is the chief author of the Pathways to College legislation which provides students
the opportunity to gain college credits while still in high school without having to travel to higher education
institutions. Overall, dual or concurrent enrollment aid has decreased since 2007; the amount provided to schools has
dropped significantly over the past six years. Because the funding is capped and then prorated to schools based on the
number of total course enrollments across the state, fewer schools could participate. This bill will reverse that trend and
expand the program so more students can participate in this great program.
“When I was a principal at Rosemont, we had a very successful dual enrollment program that provided students with
college credits and skills for a successful transition to post-secondary education,” Sen. Clausen said. “I’d like more
schools to be able to take advantage of this great program. Students can save thousands of dollars off their college
education, and school districts do not lose state funding because students stay on the high school campus while earning
college credits.”
Chair of the Committee, Sen. Wiger is Chief Author of a bill highlighting greater investment in technology for Minnesota
school districts. Wiger says access to broadband as well as educators who embrace and utilize the power of technology, is
critical to students’ success in the 21st century and will also help accomplish the state’s goal of increasing graduates in
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields.
“Our schools are asking for greater investment in technology, and we are responding to that need. As our world becomes
increasingly digitalized, our schools require robust internet access and internet-ready devices in the hands of all students.
If we are serious about creating the World’s Best Workforce, investment in technology is a key component,” said Sen.
Wiger.
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Amelia Cerling
Communications Specialist
Senate Majority Media
Centennial Office Building 540
651-296-1939