Spend Spring Break Under the Dome!
While some of our readers have already had their spring break, many schools are off for spring break next week. And coincidentally, next week is a big week for school finance under the dome.
The House K-12 Education Budget Committee is expected to receive the “Chairman’s Bill” on Monday and the rest of the week will be a review of the bill and the public hearings will begin. This committee meets every day next week and while the agenda says “to be announced,” we know they will be reviewing the bill and holding public hearings. This could be a great opportunity for you to meet with the legislators writing the new formula!
The House K-12 Education Budget Committee meets from 1:30 until about 3:30 in room 346-S, the old Supreme Court Room.
But wait! There’s more!
The Senate Select Committee on School Finance met for the first time yesterday and they plan to meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week. This is the committee tasked by Senate leadership to come up with the Senate school finance plan.
On Tuesday, Deputy Education Commissioner Dale Dennis will review the current and previous formulas with them. On Wednesday they will learn about bond and interest state aid, supplemental general state aid, and transportation weighting from Scott Frank of the Legislative Post Audit Division. On Thursday some school districts will educate them on the local district budget building process.
Again, these are wonderful opportunities for you to see the discussion up close and personal! This committee meets from 1:00 until 2:30 in room 144-S.
Your lobbyists will be there and would love to see you! Are you willing to take one day of your spring break to let legislators know that you are following their actions? While you are here, you can tour the capital and make the climb to the top of the dome! Bring the kids! See the legislature in action!
Look for KNEA lobbyist Mark Desetti in the House Committee and KNEA lobbyist Terry Forsyth in the Senate Committee.
