School board sets wish list for Legislature

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Anoka-Hennepin School Board Vice Chairman Tom Heidemann presented the school district’s legislative platform for the 2009 session.

Seeking a $15 million increase in school funding in Anoka-Hennepin’s 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years, Heidemann said, “There are many ways to get there, but we don’t want (legislators) to lose sight of what’s needed.”

The platform, approved unanimously by the board members, detailed five points of concern.

First, the $15 million needed increase to fund normal inflation facing the Anoka-Hennepin School District:

• Provide a 4 percent increase in the general education formula for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.

• Provide a 4.7 percent increase in the special education formula for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.

• Provide a 3 percent increase in the compensatory aide allocation for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years, or redesign the formula to provide a minimum allocation for at-risk students.

• Increase the home value index in the equity formula.

• Overhaul the school funding system (Minnesota Miracle HF 4178) to provide adequate and sustainable education funding that is rationally tied to student achievement and need.

Second, fund transportation for families that live in areas that require students to walk through hazardous areas by providing school boards levy authority to fund state statute 123B.88, subdivision 3a.

Third, provide flexibility to school boards to reallocate state mandated spending that does not directly impact the classroom:

• Eliminate the requirement for 2 percent set aside for staff professional development.

• Allow the school board to use the crime levy dollars for other purposes.

• Allow school boards to use desegregation dollars for purposes related to improving student achievement.

• Continue the compensatory aid pilot project and allow school boards to use compensatory aid dollars, using data driven methods, to improve student achievement districtwide.

• All other mandated funding formulas should be considered.

Fourth, stabilize state standards so that school districts can focus on instruction and student achievement versus curriculum development and staff development that is focused on the changing standards.

And finally, provide school boards authority to renew existing levies adjusted for inflation.

The legislative session begins Jan. 17, 2009.

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