Parents, public invited to learn about school budgets, get involved in the process.
1/12/2005 3:10 PM

Saint Paul Public Schools has started a new group to help parents, community members and educators support public education in Saint Paul.

The Educational Action Team provides members with information about the school district, its budget, and how schools could be impacted by the 2005 Minnesota legislative session. Members are also provided with communications tools, opportunities to communicate with legislators, and invitations to special events and rallies.

Since December, more than 350 people have joined the group, which hopes to encourage the legislature to make public education a priority this year. The group's goals include having the legislature:

- fully fund current educational requirements and mandates;

- provide schools with funding increases to account for inflation; and

- refrain from creating more unfunded requirements and mandates.

The Educational Action Team is open to anyone and membership is free. For more information about the group or to join, click here.

The first Educational Action Team events, "Budget Power Hours," are scheduled to begin later this month. They are designed to help people understand the school district's budget and how flat funding from the legislature in recent years has led to about $50 million worth of cuts in the Saint Paul Public Schools.

Information about the Power Hours follows:

Straight Talk About Government Finance
7 - 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Central High School Auditorium
275 N. Lexington Parkway (Lexington Parkway and Marshall Avenue)
St. Paul, MN
Speakers:
John Gunyou and Jay Kiedrowski, former Minnesota commissioners of finance


Education Funding: History and Outlook
7 - 8:30 p.m. Monday, January 24, 2005
Rondo Education Center
560 Concordia Ave. (Concordia Avenue and Dale Street)
St. Paul, MN
Speaker:
Mary Cecconi, state director, Parents United Network


Advocacy 101: Making A Difference
7 - 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Central High School Auditorium
275 N. Lexington Parkway (Lexington Parkway and Marshall Avenue)
St. Paul, MN
Speakers:
Mary Gilbert,Saint Paul Public Schools Legislative Liaison, and
Lois Rockney, Executive Director, Saint Paul Public Schools Business and Financial Affairs