by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) 2007 legislative agenda may or not be a wish list — it’s definitely expensive.
But elements might also have legisaltive support.
Dr. Charlie Kyte, MASA executive director, flatly said at a Capitol press conference on Tuesday (Dec. 19) that using all the state’s projected budget surplus — a theoretical $2 billion — would not cover the cost of the MASA proposal.
“It’s going to take a lot of money to provide an adequate educational system for our children,” he said. There are no “cheap solutions,” he said.
Assuming all kindergartners take advantage of it, all-day, every-day kindergarten would cost about $160 million a year, MASA estimates.
Some legislative leaders have spoken of all-day kindergarten as an education priority.
In the area of special education funding, the educators call for an open appropriation for special education — funding based on each year’s actual cost.
They also call for categorical funding aid directed toward at-risk second graders.
It’s believed that by providing extra attention to lagging students early, the special education student population can be trimmed from 12 percent of students to eight percent, Kyte explained.
Call for lengthening of school
The association is calling for lengthening the school. Currently, the school year is made up of about 175 actual school days, Kyte explained.
MASA is calling for a 200-day teacher contract year, with 180-days of student contact.
Indeed, the association is calling for a pilot project for year-round school — the school year could be broken up in different ways.
The old agrarian school calendar especially hurts students from poor families, Kyte explained.
A middle class child may gain a month of educational experience — going to summer camp, for instance — over summer break.
But a disadvantaged student loses three months of learning, he explained.
So the disadvantaged student falls four months behind, explained Kyte.
The association proposes some 50 schools, with about 300 students per school, be slated for a year-round school pilot project.
The proposal is estimated to cost $3 million in additional funding.
Pawlenty supports initiative
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently expressed support for lengthening the school year. “We have one of the shortest school years in the world,” he said. “I like the idea of a longer school year — longer school days,” said Pawlenty.
But the governor also noted these innovations come with additional costs.
Kyte said funding expectations are up among school officials, in part because of a growing realization that Minnesota children are competing in a global marketplace.
He expressed hope that Democrats, who now control the Minnesota Legislature, would back their belief in strong education with funding.
MASA represents some 600 educational administrators statewide.
(Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)
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