SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House Education Finance Committee voted to advance the COVID-19 response legislation for hourly school workers. The bill’s next stop is the House Ways and Means Committee.
A summary of the legislation is available on the committee’s website. Among other things, the legislation provides for compensation for hourly school employees, and allows entities that contract with schools to provide services such as school bus operators to be reimbursed for paying their employees, for changes in school employment practices as a result of COVID-19 related school closures, and the conversion to distance learning programs.
The bill provides some school finance formula flexibility needed from the conversion to the distance learning model. The bill also creates and legislatively approves certain waivers of state law regarding assessments, graduation and course requirements, and potential licensure issues faced by prospective and current teachers.
New testimony in support of the legislation was heard from Scott Vrieze, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Library Agency; Michelle Koffa, Policy Manager of Ed Alllies; and Laura Strand, a Junior and Senior High Art Teacher from Pine City High School.
Video of the hearing will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube Channel.