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2022 MASA Legislative Platform

Education Finance
School Funding

• Link the basic formula to annual increases to inflation.
• Tie English Learner funding to the basic funding formula and increase to the rate of inflation.

Safe and Supportive Schools Funding

• Increase funding to $100 per pupil to support student mental health and to increase the number of student support professionals, guidance counselors, social workers, or contracted services in these areas.
• Extend safe schools funding to all cooperative school districts.
• Establish a minimum level of  $100,000 per school district to ensure districts statewide receive adequate funding. 
• Include cyber security efforts to allow school districts to update systems and pay increasing insurance costs.

Compensatory Revenue

• Allow school districts to use 2019 compensatory pupil counts to address impacts brought on by the COVID pandemic.
• Allow for additional options to meet free and reduced price lunch eligibility, which is the primary factor in determining compensatory revenue. 

Operating Levies

• Allow school board renewal of existing and future operating levies.

Cross Subsidies

• Support a single special education formula that is stable and equitable, and consistent. MASA also seeks increases to hold the state total cross subsidy constant with the goal to fully eliminate it.

School Finance Working Group 

• Support the 2020 School Finance Work Group recommendations.

Long Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM)

• Remove the per pupil limit and broaden the eligible uses.

Technology

• Increase funding for broadband and technology infrastructure.

Education Policy
Increase Local Control

• Provide school districts flexibility to adapt learning environments for positive student outcomes and to make decisions based on local needs, including:
  • Remote learning options
  • School calendars and schedules
  • Creativity with seat time & Carnegie Units
  • Assessments 
  • Allow school district discretion on E-learning days

Reduce Mandates

• Cease adding new unfunded mandates
• Fund current mandates already in law.
• Reduce or eliminate the requirements for public schools to subsidize the transportation to and from the non-public schools within their school district boundaries.

Increase Flexibility for School Districts

• Allow school districts the opportunity to attract, develop and retain teachers, particularly teachers of color and teachers in licensure shortage areas
  • Remove barriers
  • Provide incentives and alternatives to the teaching profession
• Recruit/Retain Staff
  • Institute teacher licensure reciprocity with other states
  • Increase licensure flexibility for:
    • Substitute teachers
    • Science teachers
    • Middle level teachers

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School Finance Working Group
​In 2020, the School Finance Working group brought forward recommendations to address funding pressures school districts face. The working group’s set of recommendations include proposals to provide adequacy and stability to our education finance system; target revenue to close opportunity gaps; improve staff recruitment, retention, and development; and provide equity for taxpayers.

Broadband for All
​MASA recognizes the role broadband access plays in meeting the educational, economic, social, and medical needs in communities. MASA also urges the passage of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband recommendations to increase funding and policies to ensure broadband access for all Minnesotans.

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Key Contacts

MASA President 
Dr. Daniel Bittman
Superintendent
Elk River Area School District
763-241-3401 | daniel.bittman@isd728.org

MASA Executive Director
Deb Henton, Ed.D.
651-439-7719 | deb.henton@mnasa.or

MASA Legislative Committee Chair 
Dr. Kim Hiel
Superintendent
Fridley Public Schools
763-502-5001 | kim.hiel@fridley.k12.mn.us

MASA Lobbyist
Ms. Valerie Dosland
Director of Government Affairs
Ewald Consulting
612-490-3052 | valeried@ewald.com