MN House: Start school later

04/30/2005

Jean Hopfensperger, Star Tribune
April 30, 2005

Parents disappointed by early school starts last fall got some good news Friday, when the House approved a measure requiring all Minnesota schools to begin after Labor Day.

The provision, which has not yet been voted on in the Senate, was a surprise amendment to the jobs and economic development spending bill, which covers issues such as child care, housing, welfare—and tourism. “When school starts before Labor Day, it has an impact on tourism,” said Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, who offered the amendment.

Resorts are hurt, even the airline industry is hurt, said Howes. That’s not to mention the inconvenience to families who want to spend a final week together before the rush of school, he said.

But critics said schools need the flexibility to start when they see fit, especially as they’re being held to tougher standards.

The measure was one of dozens included in the spending bill, which passed the House on a 68-66 party-line vote, with Republicans voting for it and DFLers voting against. Republicans argued that the bill offers important funding for homelessness prevention and workforce housing, and would roll back some child-care licensing fees.

DFLers insisted that the bill would do little to improve jobs and economic development in Minnesota. The measure would cut funding for the state dislocated worker program and for workforce housing, and would extend a 2003 freeze on reimbursement rates for child-care providers who accept parents who get state subsidies, they said.

Under one of the bill’s most controversial provisions, welfare recipients who receive public housing would lose $200 of their monthly welfare grant. For a single mother with one child, that would leave them with about $237 a month to live on, said Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis.

Welfare recipients who receive public housing currently have $50 deducted from their monthly grants; the bill would increase the deduction by $150.

“This is not a jobs bill,” said Rep. Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm. “I see it as a job-less bill.”

Rep. Bob Gunther, R-Fairmont, who oversees the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, said he wished the bill could have offered more, especially for housing and to support child care providers.

“I think we maximized what we could do with what we had,” Gunther said.

The bill provides $14 million for supportive housing for chronically homeless Minnesotans, a priority of Gov. Tim Pawlenty, said supporters. And it does not make any more cuts to families receiving day-care subsidies, they said.

Meanwhile, an amendment to improve the quality of child care in Minnesota also was approved. Family day-care providers would have to get 12 hours of training instead of the current six in order to start a day-care business in Minnesota.

Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood, who offered the amendment, said it came in response to a Star Tribune report on day-care licensing.

Key House Republicans opposed the idea, saying what was really needed was better enforcement of day-care licensing rules, unannounced inspections and a way for parents to know about day-care complaints.

“It [12 hours of training] is more than needed,” said Rep. Fran Bradley, R-Rochester. “It doesn’t solve the problem.”

The Senate companion to the spending bill, the environment, agriculture and economic development spending bill, is expected to be heard on the floor late next week. The measure to start schools after Labor Day is expected to be offered as an amendment.