How the proposed Education funding law will affect negotiations.

As the school year grinds to its end a story appeared in the DNT about the Education budget that will have a significant impact on teacher negotiations. The following paragraph sounds optimistic:

Each of the two years, schools will get a 2 percent increase in the per-pupil funding formula that pays for general operations. There is also $50 million for a new preschool program called “School Readiness Plus,” which prioritizes low-income students, as well as $20 million more for early-learning scholarships.

But a few short paragraphs beyond it come calls from the teachers union for Governor Dayton to veto the bill. There is a Republican inspired language allowing Districts more freedom in hiring teachers without the professional degrees and giving District Administrators more power to keep on and/or release teachers without bending to their seniority.

I’ve not read the actual language so its hard for me to gauge just how serious a threat to tenure and seniority this law would be.

About the author

Harry is a ferociously good natured eccentric in Duluth Minnesota who detests traitors dressed up as Uncle Sam. You can find somewhat better edited writings of his at the Duluth Reader "contributors." page. The URL is:

https://duluthreader.com/contributors/h/84/284-harry-welty