Haugen: Unfunded mandates keep coming

A public employee

salary freeze?

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- District 84 Superintendent Jay Haugen got just what he said he and the school district didn't need via e-mail Friday -- more unfunded mandates from the CFL (Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning).

As the state budget deficit continues to grow and school enrollment declines, meaning less state aid funding to school districts, the unfunded mandates (requirements) appeared to be more buck passing.

"My principals and their staff will work for weeks (on the mandates)," Haugen said. "It's more time that they won't have helping kids. The CFL can't do the work so they get us to do it."

Haugen sees and interesting and challenging Legislative session that makes it challenging for him to know what to advise, at least at this point.

At Thursday night's board meeting, he referred the school board to the latest MASA (Minnesota Association of School Administrators) Legislative Update.

The update mentioned a statewide freeze of public employee salaries as a way to avoid deep cuts in government and schools without raising taxes.

A wage freeze for school, city, county and state workers is being discussed but the legality and "doability" of such a move was questioned by Dr. Charles Kyte, Executive Director of MASA.

Haugen said he wouldn't mind seeing his wages frozen in times like these. He said he hasn't seen any figures on how much money would be saved by a statewide freeze. He estimated it to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Still, he has his doubts.

"I try not to get too excited about it," Haugen said. "Many things will be discussed in the Legislature but few of them will come to pass."

The update predicted Governor Pawlenty will announce his 'un-allotment' plan in the coming days. If the legislature doesn't modify his plan, the governor will start the un-allotment process (cutting off funds). Kyte called the process appropriate in light of the budget situation.

Other update legislative issues:

* The second senate bill to be a repeal of the Profile of Learning. He views what will succeed it as a bigger issue.

* The three "big battles" this session will be Gov. Pawlenty and the Republicans vs. the public employee unions, local units of government and the Minnesota Taxpayers League.

The Taxpayers League contends that only 50 percent of K-12 education funding is spent on regular instruction because the system has tried to become everything to all students and de-emphasized its primary mission -- educating students.

Minnesota's education system has become more of a social service provider with the CFL overseeing funding for transitional housing programs for homeless families, food shelf programs and economic opportunity grants.

Haugen agreed, noting his district's budget "barely" utilizes 50 percent of its funding on regular instruction.

"CFL used to be a helpful organization, now its more of a bureaucracy," Haugen said. "Education expenses have gone up but each year, but less and less money is available for regular classroom instruction. More and more of our money is used for special education, ESL (English as a Second Language, rising health insurance costs, unfunded mandates and meeting graduation standards."

Lawmakers should use this session to evaluate every CFL program and grant by asking one question -- does it have a proven history of improving student performance? said Randy Wanke, executive director of the Education League.

Pawlenty plans to change the CFL to its original name -- the Department of Education, according to Wanke.

"This not only correctly emphasizes the agency's top priority, it will pave the way for a much-needed reorganization," Wanke said. "Social services and other non-educational programs should be transferred to other state agencies or eliminated."

Wanke said legislators will find it easier to balance the budget when they use education to provide children with instruction needed to succeed after high school.