Superintendent Cselovzski reveals legislative priorities

Bills to raise special education funding laid over

SLEEPY EYE -- Superintendent John Cselovszki told the Dist. 84 school board Wednesday he and board member Darla Remus attended the March 20 Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) Day at the Capitol.

"Senate and House leadership attended a meeting including a roundtable forum. Audience questions were taken," said Cselovszki. "We also visited Rep. Paul Torkelson and shared our legislative priorities with him."

Cselovzski said MSBA's legislative priorities included a five percent education formula funding increase, indexing the education funding formula to inflation, no new unfunded mandates that could bankrupt some schools and increasing special education state aid funding for fiscal year 2023.

He said there is legislation that would increase each school district's special education subsidy to 100% of the adjusted cross subsidy for fiscal year 2023 and beyond.

School districts, charter schools and cooperative units receive state aid and a modest amount of federal aid to provide special education services to students. State and federal aid do not cover the full cost of special education services.

The difference between a school district's special education spending and its special education revenue is called its special education cross subsidy and must come from the district's other general fund money, which often means cutting programs or asking for higher property taxes.

Proponents say Minnesota special education services are underfund by an estimated $780 million per year.

House Files 18 and 21 were laid over for possible inclusion into a biggest education spending bill later this session.

School board members learned a little about the Class of 2024 class trip proposal to Florida Wednesday.

High school principal Shane Laffen said 37 students were interested in the class trip, three were not interested and three did not respond to the question.

Laffen said the class trip to Florida this year cost $1,400 to $1,500 and students spent $400 to $500 more during the trip. He said more details on the proposed class trip are expected at the May school board meeting.

School facility manager Doug Domeier suggested the School Street summer project should include removal of ash trees as a number of them are showing signs of ash borers. Domeier said tree removal is estimated to cost $3,200-$3,500.