Time to Act: Call Education Committees to Push Data Bill NOW!

March 10, 2014 violin56 Leave a comment

With the news that our Data Bill has been “birthed”, it’s time to get on the phones!! The bill has been referred to the House Education Policy and House Education Finance committees. Let’s start with the House Ed Committees this week! We need EVERYONE calling!

Here’s a script you may use. Please do change it a little or a lot.

SCRIPT: ” Hello Representative ____________, (or the Rep’s Legislative Assistant)

My call is in reference to Bill HF 2766, a bill for an act relating to education. This bill is Chief authored by Rep. Jason Isaacson and originated by Rep. Jim Abeler.

I am calling (or writing) to inform you of my concerns with data collection and how that data is leaving our state for the Tri-State Consortium. And now, we find that various School Boards are revising their Policy Manuals to allow data to fly directly to the federal government and without parental consent. We are opposed to this action and wish to protect our childrens’ and families’ personal information.

Secondly, I am very concerned with the Common Core Standards; that these standards may not be high enough; and a loss of local control when the standards are held in copyright by two trade organizations (the CCSSO and NGA). HF 2766 maintains the integrity of our state academic standards and our state educational autonomy. I do not want to see local control given away to either the federal government or any corporate entity.

And lastly, the bill gives parents the opportunity to opt out of data collection when data becomes personally identifiable. Understand, this is not an issue for me. This is about my children and my children’s future. I strongly encourage you to read the bill, support it and to co-author. I will be calling back within the week to find out your position on this bill. Thank you for your time!”

Here are the names, phone numbers and e-mails for the House Ed Committees.

Education Policy
Membership 2013 – 2014

Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building.

Committee ChairCarlos Mariani (DFL)
381 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-9714
E-mail: rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn

Republican LeadSondra Erickson (R)
209 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6746
E-mail: rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn

Mark Anderson (R)
327 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4293
E-mail: rep.mark.anderson@house.mn

Bob Barrett (R)
287 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5377
E-mail: rep.bob.barrett@house.mn

John Benson (DFL)
417 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-9934
E-mail: rep.john.benson@house.mn

David Bly (DFL)
559 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0171
E-mail: rep.david.bly@house.mn

Jim Davnie (DFL)
445 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0173
E-mail: rep.jim.davnie@house.mn

Roger Erickson (DFL)
527 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4265
E-mail: rep.roger.erickson@house.mn

Tim Faust (DFL)
567 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0518
E-mail: rep.tim.faust@house.mn

Jason Isaacson (DFL)
545 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7153
E-mail: rep.jason.isaacson@house.mn

Debra Kiel (R)
337 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5091
E-mail: rep.deb.kiel@house.mn

Ron Kresha (R)
329 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4247
E-mail: rep.ron.kresha@house.mn

Ernie Leidiger (R)
317 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4282
E-mail: rep.ernie.leidiger@house.mn

Paul Marquart (DFL)
597 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6829
E-mail: rep.paul.marquart@house.mn

Will Morgan (DFL)
401 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5387
E-mail: rep.will.morgan@house.mn

Bud Nornes (R)
273 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4946
E-mail: rep.bud.nornes@house.mn

Mary Sawatzky (DFL)
433 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6206
E-mail: rep.mary.sawatzky@house.mn

Dean Urdahl (R)
253 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4344
E-mail: rep.dean.urdahl@house.mn

Anna Wills (R)
225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4306
E-mail: rep.anna.wills@house.mn

Barb Yarusso (DFL)
507 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0141
E-mail: rep.barb.yarusso@house.mn

Here is information on the House Education Finance Committee.

Education Finance
Membership 2013 – 2014

Meets: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:15 a.m. in Room 10 of the State Office Building.

Committee Chair

Paul Marquart (DFL)
597 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6829
E-mail: rep.paul.marquart@house.mn

Vice Chair

Linda Slocum (DFL)
415 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7158
E-mail: rep.linda.slocum@house.mn

Republican Lead

Kelby Woodard (R)
221 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7065
E-mail: rep.kelby.woodard@house.mn

Tom Anzelc (DFL)
517 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4936
E-mail: rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn

Connie Bernardy (DFL)
581 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5510
E-mail: rep.connie.bernardy@house.mn

Kathy Brynaert (DFL)
569 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3248
E-mail: rep.kathy.brynaert@house.mn

Jim Davnie (DFL)
445 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0173
E-mail: rep.jim.davnie@house.mn

Sondra Erickson (R)
209 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-6746
E-mail: rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn

Glenn Gruenhagen (R)
241 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4229
E-mail: rep.glenn.gruenhagen@house.mn

Jerry Hertaus (R)
315 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-9188
E-mail: rep.jerry.hertaus@house.mn

Carlos Mariani (DFL)
381 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-9714
E-mail: rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn

Joe McDonald (R)
291 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4336
E-mail: rep.joe.mcdonald@house.mn

Rena Moran (DFL)
413 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5158
E-mail: rep.rena.moran@house.mn

Will Morgan (DFL)
401 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5387
E-mail: rep.will.morgan@house.mn

Pam Myhra (R)
217 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4212
E-mail: rep.pam.myhra@house.mn

Jerry Newton (DFL)
575 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5369
E-mail: rep.jerry.newton@house.mn

Duane Quam (R)
323 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-9236
E-mail: rep.duane.quam@house.mn

Joe Radinovich (DFL)
529 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-2365
E-mail: rep.joe.radinovich@house.mn

Yvonne Selcer (DFL)
523 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3964
E-mail: rep.yvonne.selcer@house.mn

Anna Wills (R)
225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4306
E-mail: rep.anna.wills@house.mn

ex-officio Lyndon Carlson Sr. (DFL)
479 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4255
E-mail: rep.lyndon.carlson@house.mn

Common Core State Standards

Minnesota HF 2766 Is Born!

March 10, 2014 violin56 Leave a comment

Minnesota HF 2766 was “born” just days ago!! It’s now TIME TO ACT and call all our education committee chairs and members. More information on action coming up! But first, some information about the bill.

Chief Co-Author of the Bill is Rep. Jason Isaacson (DFL) and Rep. Jim Abeler co-authored/originated. The bill has been referred to the House Education Policy Committee (Rep. Carlos Mariani, Chair) and House Education Finance Committee (Rep. Paul Marquart, Chair). We now await a “hearing” of the bill. That “hearing” is scheduled by Rep. Mariani and Rep. Marquart.

HF 2766 is primarily about data collection, storage, outcome, personally identifiable information, opting out of data collection and maintaining integrity of the standards and autonomy of our state’s education. Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 13.32, subdivision 5, would be amended to read:

“…at the time a governmental entity collects personally identifiable information about a student, the agency or institution must provide an eligible student or a parent with a reasonable opportunity to refuse to let any state agency or state institution disclose personally identifiable information about the student to any third party or to any governmental entity over which the state of Minnesota, a school district, or a school has no direct control.”

MACC members have voiced their concerns about the quality of the Common Core Standards. Many are also concerned about the lobbyist organizations, CCSSO/NGA, who hold a copyright on the standards. Only those two trade groups may amend the standards. Others are concerned about local control of our Independent School Districts. Section 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.021, would be amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 5. Maintaining the integrity of state academic standards and state educational autonomy. Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, the state may exit any agreement, contract, memorandum of understanding, or consortium that cedes control of Minnesota’s state academic standards, curriculum, or related benchmarks to any other entity, including a federal agency or consortium, for any reason, including:

1. the cost of developing or implementing state academic standards or related benchmarks;

2. the proposed academic standards or benchmarks are inconsistent with state accountability measures or community expectations or values; or

3. the agreement, contract, memorandum of understanding, or consortium;

i. was entered into in violation of part 9, Implementing Federal Programs Act, or

title 63J, chapter 5, Federal Funds Procedures Act;

ii. conflicts with state law;

iii. requires student data to be included in a national or multistate data base; or

iv. imposes curriculum, assessment, or data tracking requirements on nonpublic or home school students.

The third and last section allows parents an opportunity to opt out of data collection if that collection becomes personally identifiable information and prevention of unauthorized access by “a school district, a school, and the commissioners of education, higher education, and employment and economic development”.

Please read the bill in its entirety.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF2766&version=0&session_year=2014&session_number
HF 2766 as introduced – 88th Legislature (2013 – 2014)
www.revisor.mn.gov
700 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 ♦ Phone: (651) 296-2868 ♦ TTY: 1-800-627-3529 ♦ Fax: (651) 296-0569

Common Core State Standards

Common Core: Education or Indoctrination

March 10, 2014 violin56 Leave a comment

Common Core: Education or Indoctrination in Waconia

Want to learn more about the Common Core educational reform system? Join us Monday, March 10th at 7:00pm, to learn what it’s all about as well as what you can do to stop common core! Waconia Parkside Church will host. The church is located at 9560 Paradise Lane, Waconia, Minnesota (Carver County). Event will run from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.