PreK-12 Education 3/16/23

WE ARE DISCOVERING THINGS PERHAPS WE KNEW BEFORE.

THAT'S AS CLOSE AS I GET TO A POLICY STATEMENT.

SENATOR RARICK, LET'S MOVE TO K-12 EDUCATION OR WHAT WE WOULD CALL PREK EDUCATION.

THERE'S BEEN SOME ACTION ON THE BILL TO PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS BEING FED BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE PERCOLATING WITH RESPECT TO K-12 EDUCATION.

I'M GOING TO KEEP CALLING IT THAT.

BUT YOU REACH A CERTAIN AGE, YOU GET FIXATED ON THINGS.

TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING ON EDUCATION ISSUES AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPENING IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.

>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL BOARDS, TEACHERS, PARENTS AFTER BECOMING LEAD ON FINANCE.

WHAT I'M HEARING REPEATEDLY IS MONEY ON THE FORMULA IS THEIR NO.

1 PRIORITY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION CROSS SUBSIDY IS ANOTHER ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS MANDATED THESE SPECIAL EDUCATIONS AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD FUND IT TO 40%.

THEY HAVE NEVER COME CLOSE.

SO I BELIEVE THE STATE NEEDS TO STEP UP AND HELP OUT AND ADD THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO, AND THEN EQUALIZATION IS ANOTHER PIECE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE SMALL PROPERTY, POOR DISTRICTS THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO THEIR TAXPAYERS FOR UPKEEP OR OPERATIONS.

SO IF WE CAN KIND OF EQUALIZE THAT SO WHEN THEY GO TO THEIR VOTERS FOR AN OPERATING REFERENDUM, THEY KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.

THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, BUT THEY WILL GET A LITTLE MORE ASSISTANCE.

THOSE ARE THE TOP THINGS I'M HOPING WE WILL TALK ABOUT, ALSO HOPING -- AND WE ARE HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE SUPERINTENDENTS, DON'T PUT ANYMORE MANDATES ON US RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU GIVE US 5 AND 5 ON THE FORMULA BUT PUT A BUNCH OF MANDATES, THAT MONEY IS GONE BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO TALK ABOUT TEACHER RAISES OR EXTRA COSTS FOR BUSSING.

THOSE ARE THINGS I WILL BE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT IN COMMITTEE.

LET'S BE WISE WITH THE MONEY.

I HAVE HEARD THAT REPEATEDLY, TOO.

THEY DON'T MIND FUNDING AND HAVING THEIR TAX MONEY COME INTO THE STATE AS LONG AS THEY KNOW WE ARE USING IT WISELY, AND I KNOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEY USE EVERY PENNY AS BEST THEY CAN.

WE SOMETIMES HEAR STORIES THAT GET THE NEWS THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, AND PEOPLE TEND TO THINK EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS LIKE THAT.

WHEN YOU GET OUT AND TALK TO MOST OF THESE, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THEY ARE USING IT AS BEST THEY CAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M -- WHAT WE JUST PASSED, I WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.

I WOULD RATHER SEE IT GO ON THE FORMULA OR SOMETHING.

BUT WE WILL HAVE OTHER DISCUSSIONS AROUND THAT, I'M SURE, AS WE GO FORWARD.

BUT A FORMULA AND SPECIAL EDUCATION, MY TIER 1 PRIORITIES.

>> Barry: SENATOR CWODZONSKI, K-12, PREK-12 EDUCATION.

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL READING IS CONSTANTLY THE THIRD GRADE.

IF WE CAN GET ALL THIRD GRADERS UP TO READING LEVEL AT THIRD GRADE, WE KNOW THAT'S IN A CHILD AND SOCIETY'S BEST INTERESTS.

SO WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND POLICY AND FINANCE HEARING FROM THE EXPERTS ON WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER IN THAT.

I THINK THREE MALES, THE ONE AND A FEW THINGS I REMEMBER FROM COLLEGE IS THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS.

AT THE BASE LEVEL WAS THE PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.

IF THEY GO TO SCHOOL HUNGRY, THEY ARE GOING TO COME HOME FROM SCHOOL HUNGRIER, AND IF WE CAN HELP THEM OUT WITH A LUNCH THAT HELPS WITH THAT PHYSIOLOGICAL NEED, AND SPEAKING OF PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANY OF REPRESENTATIVE FEIST'S AMMUNITION, BUT A COUPLE YEARS AGO HER AND I MET WITH A BUNCH OF YOUNG WOMEN ON SOME WESTERN SUBURB SCHOOLS AND I THINK SOME IN THE SOUTH METRO AS WELL.

THEY TALKED ABOUT EQUITY AND POVERTY AND INSENSITIVITY OF WOMEN HAVING -- YOUNG GIRLS HAVING ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T SUPPLY THEM WITH FREE PRODUCTS IN OUR BATHROOMS.

I LISTENED TO THOSE YOUNG WOMEN AND IT JUST CHANGED MY LIFE.

I CAME HOME AND ASKED MY WIFE ABOUT IT, AND SHE TOLD ME SHE NEVER -- MEN JUST DON'T -- MEN NEVER HEARD THESE STORIES OR I NEVER DID.

I FOUND OUT FROM MY FEMALE TEACHING COLLEAGUES THAT THEY ALL KEEP SUPPLIES IN THEIR DESK DRAWERS.

NO KID EVER CAME UP TO ME AFTER CLASS.

THEY MUST KNOW MEN DON'T KNOW THESE THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW.

THE LEARNING CURVE FOR ME HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE YOUNG WOMEN AND REPRESENTATIVE FEIST FOR PUTTING THAT FORWARD IN THE HOUSE.

I'M THE CHIEF AUTHOR IN THE SENATE.

WHAT JASON, TOO, THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL IS 4-2 ON THE FORMULA IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND IF WE CAN DO 5 AND 5 AND INDEX IT FOR INFLATION, THAT WOULD BE HUGE FOR THE SCHOOLS WITH RESPECT TO ALL THE ISSUES.

THE KIDS' MENTAL HEALTH PRECOVID AND CERTAINLY SINCE COVID AND NOT JUST FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT FOR THE TEACHERS AS WELL AND THE STAFF.

A LOT OF SUFFERING IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE FEIST, YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> YES.

SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I BECAME OBSESSED WITH THIS THINGS CALLED COMPENSATORY REVENUE, WHICH IS PART OF THE EDUCATION BUDGET.

IT'S 8.1% OF THE FULL EDUCATION BUDGET FOR THIS BIENNIUM AND $363 MILLION.

IT GOES TO SCHOOLS TO TARGET STUDENTS WHO ARE UNDERPREPARED TO LEARN AND NOT MEETING ACADEMIC STANDARDS.

THE PROXY THAT WE USED TO CALCULATE COMPENSATORY REVENUE IS THE LUNCH FORMS, BUT THOSE ARE GOING AWAY, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL MEALS.

SO IT CREATES A REALLY TRICKY MATHEMATICAL AND PRACTICAL CHALLENGE FOR ENSURING IT'S FOR ADEQUATELY AND STRATEGICALLY FUNDING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A FORMULA TO UPDATE THE COMPENSATORY REVENUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO FUND AT THE CURRENT LEVELS AND ALSO THAT WE ARE ACCURATELY REACHING ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT COULD BE GENERATING REVENUE BUT WON'T BE PROVIDING THAT LUNCH FORM ANYMORE.

I'M NOT REALLY A MATH PERSON BUT I CAN BECOME A MATH PERSON OVER THIS ONE BILL.

I CAN ATTEST THAT I'M OBSESSED WITH COMPENSATORY REVENUE, AND I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT REQUIRES A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER, LIKE ACROSS THE BODY, ACROSS THE AISLE AND TODAY I MET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OUT IN EAGAN.

ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO MEET WITH ME, I TRY TO TALK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE PRACTICAL AND STRATEGIC QUESTIONS BUT HOW TO CREATE A FORMULA.

BECAUSE ANY DECISION WE MAKE, EVEN IF IT'S LIKE A TINY PERCENTAGE, WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, EVERY LITTLE SPEAK HAS A HUGE RIPPLE EFFECT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M OBSESSED WITH.

IT'S MY MISSION FOR THE SESSION IS UPDATE THAT FORMULA.

PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS, E-MAIL ME, AND I WOULD LOVE TO CHAT.

AS THE SENATOR MENTIONED, I ALSO AM REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER TO ADDRESS POVERTY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

PEOPLE MISS SCHOOL ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD PRODUCTS.

THE COST OF ABSENTEE ITEMS IS HIGHER RATHER THAN PROVIDING THE PRODUCTS FOR FREE.

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND ALSO JUST THE FACT THAT STUDENTS BROUGHT IT TO US MEANS A LOT.

THE WAY I DISCOVERED IT IS BECAUSE A 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT CAME TO ME AND NOW SHE'S TESTIFYING AT THE UN.

SHE'S A HIGH ACHIEVER.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY INSPIRING BILL TO BE WORKING ON.

THIS IS JUST AN AREA OF GREAT PASSION AND HIGH IMPORTANCE.

I WILL STOP TALKING NOW.

I COULD KEEP GOING.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE MUELLER, YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> THANK YOU.

BENEFIT OF GOING LAST IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY AND HOW I WANT TO RESPOND.

BEING A TEACHER FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, I HAVE HAD LOTS OF CONNECTIONS TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

I HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN WITH MY SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT THINGS THAT I -- WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND LISTENING TO THEM, SIMILAR TO WHAT SENATOR RARICK WAS TALKING ABOUT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE MORE MONEY ON THIS FORMULA.

HERE IS THE THING.

ALL THE OTHER PARTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, A LOT OF THE MONEY THAT IS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE OFTEN REDISTRICTED, AND DON'T GO TO THE CLASSROOM, DON'T GO TO STUDENTS, DON'T GO TO TEACHERS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE UNRESTRICTED MONEY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HONOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND HONOR THEM SO THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.

HAVING MANDATES IS VERY DIFFICULT, AND I GET E-MAILS BY SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOW EVEN IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR THIS, THIS IS STILL MONEY THAT WE COULD BE SPENDING ON THINGS LIKE RAISING TEACHER SALARIES, ON LITERACY, ON ALL THOSE OTHER DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO.

OF COURSE OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING HAS TO BE FRONT AND SENATOR AS SENATOR RARICK SAID.

SOME OF THE OTHER -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LITERACY, I WAS ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT SPOKE VERY PASSIONATELY AT OUR PRESS CONFERENCE.

PART OF IT IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DEDICATING OUR RESOURCES TO THE SCIENCE AND READING.

WE HAVE TOO LONG BEEN USING A FAILED SYSTEM OF WHOLE LITERACY OR BALANCED LITERACY.

THIS IS NOT WORKING AND HAS RESULTED INTO THE STATISTICS THAT YOU HEARD SENATOR CWODZONSKI SHARE.

OVER HALF OF OUR THIRD GRADERS ARE NOT READING AT GRADE LEVEL.

IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

IT'S A HEALTHCARE CRISIS, PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS AND IT'S A CRISIS THAT REQUIRES US TO RESPOND, AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HOLD TO A SCIENCE DEGREE, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER POLICIES THAT YOU HEARD FROM THEM, AND MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS ALREADY AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

I THINK ABOUT THE BILL THAT I WAS SO HAPPY THAT REPRESENTATIVE FEIST BROUGHT THE BILL TO US ABOUT PERIOD POVERTY.

BUT EVEN IN THE OWN TESTIMONY, WE HEARD HOW LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ALREADY ADDRESSING THIS.

IN AUSTIN, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THIS, BECAUSE WHERE THEY ARE IN LIFE AND WHERE THEIR FAMILY IS IN LIFE.

OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LOCAL COMMUNITY OFTEN DONATE THESE ITEMS.

IN FACT, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO RUN WHAT WE CALL THE PACKER PANTRY.

ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SEND OUT AN E-MAIL AND OUR COMMUNITY JUST FLOODS THAT WITH RESOURCES.

SO WE ARE SEEING HOW OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THESE NEEDS IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO BE UNIQUE TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

EXCITED TO ADVOCATE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE MONEY GOING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, UNRESTRICTED SO WE CAN HONOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ALLOW THEM TO RESPOND TO WHAT THEY SEE IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE FEIST, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU FOR JUST A SECOND TO TALK ABOUT FORMULA ISSUE.

I'M JUST WONDERING HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ON WHAT SHOULD REPLACE FREE AND REDUCED SCHOOL LUNCHES AS A MEASURE OF THE NEED FOR SUPPORT IN A PARTICULAR DISTRICT?

IF SO, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DETERMINED IN FUTURE SESSIONS?

>> YOU ARE ASKING ME TO GET INTO THE WEEDS.

SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE DOING IS -- >> Barry: WE WILL JUMP INTO IT.

BUT GO AHEAD.

>> RIGHT NOW WE ARE RELYING A LOT ON MEDICAID DIRECTOR EDUCATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT RUNS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA APART FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

WHAT WE LEARNED IN NOVEMBER WAS THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS CAPTURING 90% ON AVERAGE OF THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

INITIALLY WHAT I DID WAS TRIED TO CAPTURE THAT LAST 10%.

WE KNOW IT'S NOT EVEN ACROSS ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH THAT IS CAPTURING.

FOR EXAMPLE, I BELIEVE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, ONE OF MY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 27% OF THE KIDS WHO SHOULD BE GENERATING THE FUNDING.

WE DID A LITTLE BIT OF A MULTIPLIER.

WE BOOSTED BASED ON THE MEDICAID DIRECT CERTIFICATION NUMBER.

WE ALSO HAD A WAY FOR ELL LEARNERS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND MY MOBILITY STUDENTS.

THESE STUDENTS ARE TYPICALLY THE STUDENTS WE WANT TO TARGET WITH THIS FUNDING.

IT'S ALSO DATA THAT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE.

SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS WOULD INVOLVE SCHOOLS GETTING MORE FORMS, AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM ANY TYPE OF FORMS.

WE WANTED TO MAKE ADMINISTRATIVELY EASY.

WE LEARNED THROUGH -- A WOULD HE GO OR SO AGO, THE DEPP OF EDUCATION RELEASED NEW DATA AND THE DIRECT CERTIFICATION IS NOT QUITE ACCURATE AS WE HAD THOUGHT.

I'M HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MATHEMATICALLY WE COULD GET IT UP.

BUT THE VARIATION AMONGST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, AND SO I DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S MATHEMATICALLY EASY, BUT ISN'T REALLY STRATEGIC IN TARGETING STUDENTS ADEQUATELY.

SO I WAS JUST TALKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR EAGAN THIS AFTERNOON, AND HE HAD SOME IDEAS.

THEY ARE KIND OF MATH BASED, SPECIFIC TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

TRYING TO FIND THE ACCURATE ADMINISTRATIVELY EASY OPTION.

>> Barry: WE COULD DESCRIBE IT MAYBE AS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AT LEAST, AT THIS POINT.

>> IT IS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE CONSIDERED AND REJECTED A LOT OF OPTIONS.

WHILE IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, I THINK WE ARE REALLY COMING -- WE ARE HONING IT, AND WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION, NEW DATA, AND SO WE ARE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE