Wednesday, May 07, 2008

One Down. On pretty much a party-line vote, the Senate approved SF 3001, the 2008 education policy bill, on a vote of 45-20. The debate on the bill was relatively short, with most of the questions dealing with the provisions in the bill dealing with the proposed changes to the school report card. The Governor has voiced concern over these provisions, but it is hard to get a read as to whether or not the presence of these provisions is enough to warrant a gubernatorial veto.

SF 3001 will be on the House floor tomorrow. After its passage, it will make a beeline to the Governor's desk either be signed or forced to walk the plank. I will keep you posted as to what happens.

SE Service Cooperative Meeting. With legislative floor sessions not starting until later in the afternoon, I was able to make it down to Rochester to meet with the superintendents from the member districts of the Southeast Service Cooperative. Of course, we've got more than a few SEE member districts down in that neck of the woods and it's always great to get together with them (and the non-SEE member superintendents as well).

I served on a panel with MASA Executive Director Charlie Kyte and MREA lobbyist Sam Walseth. We fielded a number of questions related not only to this legislative session, but the education funding reform efforts that will begin during the interim. There was lively discussion and a set of great questions. It's always great to get out in the field and find out more about what's on people's minds and I always welcome the opportunity to get out of St. Paul. So, if you have a meeting you'd like to have me attend, just let me know. If I can fit it into my schedule, I'll make it.

Speaker Set for May Meeting. I can't give you the exact speaker. It will either be Cathy Wagner or John Paulson from the Minnesota Department of Education will be presenting the results of the Minnesota Department of Education's Technology Task Force and what the future of educational technology looks like from MDE's perspective. Of course, the legislative session will be over and we will discuss what happened during the 2008 session as well. So, register soon. It should be a great meeting.

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