Category Archives: Legislative

Crosswinds Bill Passes Senate E12 Division, 3/18

This morning SF530, the bill conveying Crosswinds to Perpich, was the first item on the agenda of the E12 Division of the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was presented by its author, Sen. Dahle, and amended to take care of some finance and transportation issues. Great news: the bill made it over this very important hurdle!

Tom Melcher, of the Minnesota Department of Education, explained that one of the amendments just ensured that districts whose students attend Crosswinds did not get to charge the state for their “declining enrollment” in these cases. This effectively makes the future under Perpich similar to the past under EMID, when districts could also not make such charges to the state. With regard to transportation, the new language clarifies that Perpich will be able to seek integration funding for transportation as long as it files integration plans with MDE, again similar to the transportation situation under EMID. Though the final “fiscal note” was not yet complete, Melcher anticipated that it would show SF530 provides a net benefit to the state, rather than a net cost.

Testimony proceeded from Dr. Jean Lubke (Executive Director of EMID), Kitty Gogins (Chair of the EMID Board), Sue Mackert (Executive Director of Perpich), Dr. Carla Hines (Principal at Crosswinds), Kai’li Taylor (Crosswinds 9th grader), Eric Celeste (former Crosswinds parent), and Mike Boguszewski (former Crosswinds parent). Many other parents and students surrounded the final three testifiers to show the committee the strength of our support, and written testimony was also provided from many of you.

With very little discussion, the E12 Division voted to “lay over” the bill with Chair Wiger for inclusion in the Senate Finance omnibus. This is very good news. Sen. Wiger gave a supportive little talk after the vote. This leaves the future of SF530 very much in his hands and the hands of the Senate Finance Chair, Sen. Dick Cohen. Of course, this is the legislature, so other complications may arise.

Thank you to all of you who have helped us get so far on this road. Today was a big step, only possible due to your actions over the past few years. At this point we need to thank our supporters, please help us by sending kind notes to:

And you may also want to send a note asking for support for SF530 from Sen. Dick Cohen as Chair of the Senate Finance committee.

Crosswinds Hearing with Senate E12 Finance, Tuesday 3/18

SF530, the bill to convey Crosswinds to Perpich, is scheduled for another hearing the the Minnesota Senate tomorrow. This time the bill will be heard by the E12 Division of the Senate Finance Committee in Room 112 of the Capitol, Tuesday, March 18, 8:30-11am. Join us at the capitol if you can!

Please visit our Contacting Your Representatives page for more details on how to ask your own senator to support SF530.

Crosswinds bill passes Senate Education Committee, 3/6

After a year of delay, the Minnesota Senate finally heard the bill to convey Crosswinds to Perpich on Wednesday, March 6. Senator Kevin Dahle presented SF530 to the Senate Education Committee, supported by testimony from Sue Mackert, Susan Larson, Mary Cecconi, Eric and Nate Celeste, Mike Boguszewski, Leslye and Kai’li Taylor, Dan Larson, Laurel LeBlanc (reading Abby’s words), and Tami Bayne-Kuscmarski. In addition many others submitted written testimony to the committee.

Senators Kent and Torres Ray raised concerns about Crosswinds enrollment numbers, noting that Crosswinds had seen a decline while Harambee numbers held steady. They implied that the situation at Crosswinds and Harambee was similar so the decline must reflect something about the quality of Crosswinds. Of course, we realize that Harambee had a clearly understood future with Roseville while Crosswinds was constantly threatened with closure, a situation we will have to make clearer at the bill’s next stop. Even given these concerns, the committee unanimously passed the bill on to the Senate Finance Committee’s E-12 Division for further consideration.

The Crosswinds bill is now awaiting its hearing in the Senate Finance Committee’s E-12 Division (likely some time the week of 3/17).

IMG_0565

Crosswinds Hearing in the Senate, Thursday 3/6

Exciting news for all of us who waited through the whole 2013 session without a hearing in the MN Senate, this year we are getting our first Senate hearing right up front! Join us in Room 112 of the Capitol, Thursday, March 6, Noon-2:30pm for a hearing of the Senate Education Committee on SF530, the bill to convey Crosswinds to Perpich.

If you can’t be at the hearing, then please consider writing a testimony for the conveyance of Crosswinds to Perpich. We have a packet of testimony (PDF) from parents to the House last year that might provide some inspiration. Just send your testimony to testimony@emidfamilies.org by Tuesday 3/4, and we will make sure it gets to the committee. Visit our Contacting Your Representatives page for more details.

Sue Mackert, Executive Director of Perpich, will join us at our EMID Families meeting on Sunday (3/2, 3pm, Rondo Library, Saint Paul) to fill us in on plans for the legislative session.

EMID Families Meeting, Sunday 3/2

EMID Families will be meeting at the Rondo Library in Saint Paul on Sunday, 3/2 at 3pm. Please join us to learn more about the status of legislation to support the conveyance of Crosswinds to Perpich and Harambee to Roseville. This will be a shorter legislative session than usual, and we need all hands on deck to make sure the future of our schools are in good hands.

If you can’t join us for the meeting, please contact your representatives to let them know of your support for this conveyance. Look for details at emidfamilies.org/state.

Pioneer Press: Future of two east metro magnet schools in lawmakers’ hands again

Christopher Magan writes in the Pioneer Press: “Future of two east metro magnet schools in lawmakers’ hands again.”

When Minnesota lawmakers return to the state Capitol next month, they will be asked again to decide the future of two east metro magnet schools.

A year after a group of east metro school districts ended their involvement in Crosswinds East Metro Arts and Science School in Woodbury and Harambee Elementary Community Cultures and Environmental Science School in Maplewood, supporters might get another shot at permanent leadership for the schools.

“We are hoping for a smooth conveyance,” said Jean Lubke, executive director of the East Metro Integration District, or EMID. “We support the schools’ continued operation as inter-district integration magnet schools.”

EMID Board Meets on 12/18

The EMID Board will meet on Wednesday at 5:30pm on 12/18 at Crosswinds School. As usual, the board will welcome public comment at the start of the meeting. The board packet for December indicates that the board will, among other things, discuss their legislative agenda and the withdrawal of South Washington County (ISD 833) from the collaborative.

EMID Families Meeting, 12/8

EMID Families will be meeting on Sunday, 12/8, at 3pm at the Rondo Branch of Saint Paul Public Library (461 N Dale St, Saint Paul 55103). Look for us in the Children’s Room there.

We will have an update on the legislative situation and what we as families can do to help ensure a successful handoff of Crosswinds to Perpich and Harambee to Roseville. We will also be focussed on our plans for an integration initiative to carry on a conversation about the importance of real integration in our schools to Minnesota. Please join us, we especially hope that by meeting at the Rondo Library more families from Saint Paul can take part on Sunday.

Everyone is welcome, especially families new to Harambee or Crosswinds! Please come and be part of building the future for our schools.

EMID Board Meets on 11/20

The next board meeting is on Wednesday 11/20 at 5:30 at Crosswinds.

This month’s board packet includes the legislative agenda the EMID board plans to discuss:

  1. We support the conveyance of Harambee Elementary School to ISD 623 Roseville Public Schools for the continued purpose of serving as a multi-district integration school effective July 1, 2014.
  2. We support the conveyance of Crosswinds Arts and Science Magnet School to Perpich Center for the Arts for the continued purpose of serving as a multi-district integration school effective July 1, 2014.
  3. We support the continuation of EMID as an Integration District supporting the East Metro Area.
    • We request adequate and continuing integration funding supporting the student, staff, and family shared services to support integration and equity across the member districts.
    • We request flexibility in budgeting to provide more opportunities for professional development and organizational support (versus 80% student service, 10% professional development, 10% administration) in order to make systemic changes.

If the board does adopt this agenda, we will be in a strong position to finally get conveyance of the schools to their new partners in 2014. Please join us at this meeting to urge the EMID board to speak with a unified voice on this very important agenda item.