STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY FIFTH MEETING
MN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY SECOND SESSION
EDUCATION FINANCE
MINUTES
Representative Jim Davnie, Chair of the Education Finance Committee, called the virtual meeting to order at 10:31am on March 9, 2021 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting is being broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
DAVNIE, Jim
SANDSTEDE, Julie
KRESHA, Ron
BENNETT, Peggy
DANIELS, Brian
DEMUTH, Lisa
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve
ERICKSON, Sondra
FEIST, Sandra
JORDAN, Sydney
MARQUART, Paul
MUELLER, Patricia
RICHARDSON, Ruth
THOMPSON, John
WOLGAMOTT, Dan
XIONG, Tou
YOUAKIM, Cheryl
A quorum was present.
Rep. Mueller moved that the minutes from March 4, 2021 be approved. Motion prevailed.
HF 917 (Sandstede) Categorical funding for pupil transportation services was eliminated about 25 years ago. When categorical funding for pupil transportation was eliminated, a transportation sparsity component was added to general education revenue, and the basic formula allowance for all districts was increased by $170 per pupil unit (4.66 percent of the basic formula allowance at that point in time). The pupil transportation sparsity formula is based primarily on students per square mile. As a result, some districts with significant populations in their cities but with a relatively large total area to serve find that their pupil transportation expenses significantly exceed their transportation sparsity aid. A transportation sparsity adjustment was added to the formula in 2017. This adjustment measures the difference between the district’s pupil transportation expenses and the district’s imputed transportation revenue which includes transportation sparsity revenue and 4.66 percent of the district’s basic revenue for the previous year. Under current law, 18.2 percent of this difference is funded through the pupil transportation adjustment. HF 917 increases the transportation adjustment from 18.2 percent to 70 percent of a district’s unfunded pupil transportation costs for the previous year.
Rep. Sandstede moved that HF 917 be presented before the committee; be laid over for further consideration at a later time.
Rep. Sandstede presented HF 917.
Rep. Sandstede renewed the motion that HF 917 be laid over for further consideration at a later time.
HF 945 (Youakim) School districts provide a variety of services to students who have an individualized education program. Some of these services are health-related. Minnesota’s statutes and rules allow some health-related services for these students to be charged by the schools to the health care systems through a process commonly referred to as third-party billing. HF 945, notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, par 9505.0371, explicitly allows third-party billing for health-related school social work services. In order for these services provided by social workers to be reimbursable, the bill requires the school social worker to: (1) hold a master’s degree in social work; (2) be licensed by the Board of Social Work; (3) be licensed by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board as a school social worker; and (4) currently hold an independent clinical social worker license issued by the Board of Social Work or hold a graduate social worker or independent social worker license and working under the supervision of a licensed independent clinical social worker.
Rep. Youakim moved that HF 945 be presented before the committee; be referred to Human Services Finance & Policy.
Rep. Youakim presented HF 945.
Rep. Youakim renewed the motion that HF 945 be referred to Human Services Finance & Policy. A roll call vote was taken. Motion prevailed.
Roll Call Vote Count (HF 945); ‘aye’ – 15, ‘no’ – 1, not present – 1:
DAVNIE, Jim (aye)
SANDSTEDE, Julie (aye)
KRESHA, Ron (aye)
BENNETT, Peggy (aye)
DANIELS, Brian (aye)
DEMUTH, Lisa (aye)
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve (no)
ERICKSON, Sondra (aye)
FEIST, Sandra (aye)
JORDAN, Sydney (not present)
MARQUART, Paul (aye)
MUELLER, Patricia (aye)
RICHARDSON, Ruth (aye)
THOMPSON, John (aye)
WOLGAMOTT, Dan (aye)
XIONG, Tou (aye)
YOUAKIM, Cheryl (aye)
Testifiers:
Tim Lutz, Superintendent, Bemidji Area Schools
Larry Martini, Business Manager, Forest Lake Public Schools
Cathy Dalnes, Manager of Social Work Services, Minneapolis Public Schools
Scott Hare, Director of Special Services, Mankato Public Schools
The meeting of the Education Finance Committee was adjourned 11:18am.
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Representative Jim Davnie, Chair
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Brittney Sunderland, Committee Legislative Assistant