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    Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    Education Finance Reform Task Force

    Also known as:
    School Funding Task Force
    Active dates:June, 2003-2004
    Authority:
    Governor Tim Pawlenty
    Function: Examine ways to make public funding for schools more fair, understandable, and results-oriented.

    The task force will focus on three questions as it examines and makes recommendations to revamp Minnesota's K-12 finance system.
    - Do Minnesota's education finance arrangements ensure resources are distributed "equitably" to students throughout the state and does Minnesota appropriately adjust state revenue allocations for legitimate cost differences between districts including additional costs for "at risk" students?
    - Is Minnesota's education system understandable to the public and appropriately linked to accountability for student performance?
    - Does Minnesota have a data system that enables all interests in the system, including the public, to have the same information examining school finance in Minnesota?
    Succeeded by:
    Education Finance Working Group
    History: Governor Tim Pawlenty first announced his intention to form a task force to examine K-12 spending and equity issues shortly after he was elected governor. As House Majority Leader, Governor Pawlenty pushed for "educational audits" so that taxpayers will have information to examine a school's academic and financial performance.

    On June 14, 2003, the Governor named a 19-member Task Force. The Task Force began its work on August 11, 2003, and concluded its duties on March 15, 2004. Nine Task Force meetings were conducted during the seven months. The Task Force received expertise and assistance from the Minnesota Department of Education and Management Analysis & Planning, Inc. (MAP) of Nashville, Tennessee. MAP was the consultants contracted by the Department of Education to assist in Task Force discussions and recommendation development.

    The final Education Reform Task Force Report was submitted July, 2004 and is linked to below.
    Advisory to:
    Commissioner of Education
    Membership: Includes a cross-section of leaders and experts in K-12 finance including parents, school administrators, business leaders, national experts, and other stakeholders. Twenty members.
    Reports:
    Inve$ting in our Future: Seeking a Fair, Understandable and Accountable, Twenty-first Century Education Finance System for Minnesota (2004)
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Record last updated: 03/12/2014
     

    Additional print information on this group may be available in the Library's collection of agency notebooks. Please contact a librarian for assistance. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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