Education

House bill would mandate smaller K-12 class sizes, boost funding formula

By Steve Abrams House Session Daily

Class sizes in Minnesota schools are spiraling out of control, parents and educators say. Classrooms of 30 or 35 students are becoming increasingly common, impairing educational outcomes and causing teacher burnout.

Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) sees this as a dire situation that requires drastic measures.

“Class size matters.

Too many students in a classroom makes individualized attention virtually impossible,” he said. “Small class sizes have long-term benefits for students, particularly in the early years of education.”

He sponsors HF2619, which would mandate class size ratios in K-12 schools and provide dedicated funding to achieve this end.

On Friday, the House Education Finance Committee laid over the proposal, as amended, for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Stephenson’s bill would require districts to hire many more teachers and paraprofessionals in order to reduce class sizes. The state would cover these costs by increasing the general education basic formula starting in fiscal year 2024. The formula allowance for school districts would jump from $6,863 per adjusted pupil unit to $8,236, a 20% increase. For future years, basic formula increases would be tied to inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers. Districts would be required to reduce class sizes via plans negotiated with the teacher unions. Agreed upon class size ratios would have to be no greater than:

 17 students to one educator for kindergarten through grade 3;

 21 to one for grades 4 through 9; and

 23 to one for grades 10 through 12.

The proposal contrasts with HF439. That bill, heard by the committee last month, would raise the basic formula

5% annually in the next two fiscal years but makes no mention of class size. Future increases would also be indexed to inflation, starting in fiscal year 2026.

Several teachers testified in support of Stephenson’s bill, highlighting both the teaching and learning difficulties associated with overcrowded classrooms.

“The most important resources in Minnesota classrooms are time and trusting relationships between students and educators,” said Greta Callahan, a kindergarten teacher and president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.

“When class sizes get smaller or student-to-educator ratios improve, good things happen.”

Rep. Ron Kresha (R-Little Falls) opposes the bill. He argued it will constrain school budgets to meet the class size mandate, strip districts and educators of the ability to determine what’s best for them on the local level, and cost the state $3 billion to $4 billion. His comments prompted a rebuttal from

Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFLMpls), who noted that state law currently precludes the negotiation of class size ratios during collective bargaining. However, she is sponsoring

HF1691, which would place class sizes under the “terms and conditions of employment” to be hammered out at the bargaining table. Whether providing a funded mandate like Stephenson suggests or simply allowing for negotiation, she insists something must be done now to reduce class sizes.

Emergency fund for MN college students in need of a major boost, advocates tell higher ed committee

By Rob Hubbard House Session Daily

The early 2020s have been a tough time to be a college student. In addition to all the difficulties that accompanied the pandemic and the Zoomification of educational offerings, life became considerably more insecure for students in the areas of housing, food and transportation.

The Office of Higher Education has an emergency fund available for students in immediate need of help in those areas, but its current base appropriation is only $319,000 per year. That would grow greatly under HF467.

Sponsored by Rep. Mohamud Noor (DFL-Mpls), the bill, as amended, would appropriate $7.55 million per year toward emergency assistance for postsecondary students. Of that, $5 million per year would go to the Minnesota State system, while $2 million would be for the University of Minnesota. Another $500,000 would be set aside for tribal colleges and other nonprofit institutions eligible for state financial aid.

Funds appropriated would be available until spent, but, at the end of the biennium, institutions would be required to return any unused funds to the Office of Higher Education.

On Tuesday, the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in its omnibus bill.

“What we’ve heard from students is that one financial emergency can cause a significant interruption to their academic journey,” said Maya Sullivan, dean of students at Metropolitan State University.

“National studies have shown that emergency financial support makes a significant difference in the ability of students to remain enrolled, succeed academically, and ultimately to complete their degree program, and then to contribute positively to our workforce and economy.”

University of Minnesota Campus. The Office of Higher Education has an emergency fund available for students in immediate need of help in those areas, but its current base appropriation is only $319,000 per year. That would grow greatly under HF467.

“College students tend to live on very tight financial budgets that they have to stick to to make ends meet every month,” said Siya Sakhardande, a member of undergraduate student government at the University of Minnesota. “This may mean that, towards the end of their budget period, they’re running out of food or request to pay their rent or tuition later because the money just isn’t there.” Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) wanted to know what accountability measures are in place for students receiving the grants.

“The money goes to the institutions and the institutions run their own individualized programs,” said Nekey Oliver, director of grants and government relations for the Office of Higher Education.

“They know their students best. … Most students are applying for transportation emergencies and housing emergencies. So institutions can issue checks directly to vendors or repair shops, and not directly to the student.”

Supreme Court decision. Texas and Oklahoma allow private citizens to sue people they believe have helped someone get an abortion. Minnesota has already adopted

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Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, some protections that apply to those people under an executive order that Walz signed last June. And Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison pledged that his office wouldn’t cooperate with other states seeking to prosecute women who come to Minnesota for abortions. Several other states, including California and Colorado have also adopted safe haven protections for patients traveling to seek abortions, either by executive order or by statute.

A more contentious bill working its way through the Minnesota House and Senate would repeal a long list of state statutes restricting abortion rights — such as 24-hour waiting period and parental notification requirements — that a district judge declared unconstitutional last July. It’s meant to ensure that appellate courts can’t restore those restrictions. Long demurred on when that bill might come up for a House floor vote. Asked if supporters now have the votes to pass it, he replied, “We’ll have the votes when we bring it to the floor.” Republican critics of the various bills argue they’ve already left Minnesota with essentially no restrictions on abortion at all — at any stage of pregnancy. But their efforts to scale back the legislation and maintain some limits have all failed. Republican Rep. Peggy Scott, of Andover, said the bill passed Monday will give Minnesota a “black eye” by making it a destination and sanctuary for people seeking to end their pregnancies.

“We are going to reward breaking the law, we are going to reward behavior that leads to felony convictions in other states. We’re going to say,

‘Come to Minnesota, we’ll have you, we’ll take you,’” GOP Rep. Anne Neu Brindley said during the debate. “Folks, it’s wrong.” Trisha Ahmed contributed to this story from Minneapolis. Ahmed is a corps member for the Associated Press/ Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter: @ TrishaAhmed15

I guess we found the cab because I lived to tell the story, but that night I remember thinking that I might not survive. Fortunately, Vinnie’s wry commentaries on girls, Columbia, and the state of world affairs kept us laughing and energized. I will always miss him. And what a storyteller!

(Charlie, in his comments, calls him a raconteur, and that may be a better word to use, Charles.) Vinnie had funny things to say about seemingly everything. Even about the use of salt as a food preservative in many cultures. He delved into that topic at a Sri

Lankan restaurant when I was in town -- the same Sri Lankan place he took you to, Charles? – and, out of an abundance of caution, I ordered the mild version of something, so as not choke on a dish that was super hot. When the food arrived, I found myself gulping down water after every bite, nonetheless. The waitress thought it was funny. Vinnie did too. In fact, all three of us had a good laugh about it. I will always miss him.

Robert Carpenter

I met Vince in September 1964 when he began Columbia University’s School of International Affairs and I had entered its School of General Studies, intent upon studying French and German to get a degree in Comparative Literature.

A Bronx native, he was extremely generous in introducing students not from New York City to his friends and acquaintances. Our lives were enhanced by his being a liaison. In fact, my first girlfriend in the city, and five years later, the woman I married were both made possible by Vinny. I valued our 25 years of friendship, and although we became estranged, in part due to our own stubborness and heat, I learned so many things from him as a peer. In retrospect, he was the first person to introduce me to some complexities in Latino and West Indian cultures. I learned to be more conferring and genial and forthright in expressing my knowledge after observing him. He was very perceptive and funny, at times due to his power as a raconteur whose facts at his fingertips and anecdotes could be puffed with some yeast and air. My wife Gayle and I visited with him and Jeanene in the early 1980s in the Twin Cities and he drove us to see Prince’s childhood home, Hubert Humphrey’s grave, the Henepin Avenue entertainment strip, and a Sri Lankan restaurant. Also, we toured areas my wife had lived in as a child. Vince and I both became college educators (I in English) and I regret that there was a breach. However, he is well remembered and appreciated. Truly a unique spirit and accomplisher. We send our sincere condolences to Jeanene and those who loved him dearly.-Charles (and Gayle) Lynch