House to Debate Omnibus Policy Bill This Week

The House Education Omnibus Policy Bill will be debated and amended in House Education Policy Committee this week. HF 1711DE reflects the concerns of many  the committee’s members from the Twin Cities suburbs, includes policies that were in the vetoed 2018 Omnibus Prime bill as well as new policies resulting from hard work of education groups on SPED paperwork reduction and shortages of teachers of color and American Indian teachers.

View latest updates after the first policy deadline

View quick summary by key issue (Updated March 16, 2019)

View the detailed bill

Some of the new mandates and tightening up of local control include:

• School Boards must control all extracurricular activities; no activities without the consent and direction of the board
• New required HS courses in Government and Personal Finance
• Dyslexia screenings required
• Non-exclusionary discipline procedures required
• Significant changes to Tiered License system
• ABE and ECFE teachers are included in continuing contract (tenure) statutes
• Sexual health education required, topics defined, models to be provided
• Lead in water and Radon testing, notification, and remediation required
• Respectful meal policies required, districts cannot limit students’ participation in any school activity due to unpaid lunch debt

The bill provides some flexibility to schools, including:

• Pre labor day school start allowed for 20-21 and 21-22
• Special education paper work reduction

MREA will be representing the interests of Greater Minnesota education in opposing the proposed changes to the Tiered licensing system along with other education organizations, and in seeking to modify and make workable for rural schools other proposed policies. View legislative letter from MREA

Next Steps

The House Education Policy Committee is scheduled to meet:

• Monday, March 11, 10 am -2:30 pm
• Tuesday, March 12, 2:30-4 pm
• Wednesday, March 13, 2:30-4 pm
• Thursday, March 14 9:45-11:15 am and reconvening 6:00 pm to finish

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