Metro Deaf School - Minnesota North Star Academy

During the 2009-2010 school year, the board formed an ad-hoc committee called the “Chipshot Committee”. The purpose of this committee was to begin to bring attention to the school’s need for a different funding mechanism due to the unallotment affects on the school. Board Chair, Mary Zweber, was instrumental in spearheading this effort. In the fall of 2009, the committee, comprised of board members, consultants and school administration, met with the Assistant Commissioner of Education, Chas Anderson, and other key personnel at MDE. It was suggested at that time that the school’s cash flow could only be helped through legislation as they were unable to change the current statute to assist us with our dire situation even though they support the school. During December and January the committee worked to invite Representatives and Senators who had students from their districts attending MDS-MNSA to an informational meeting at the school in mid-January. Several Representatives and Senators were able to come and if unable, sent their Legislative Aide or made arrangements to visit the school at different time to ensure they had the information we were sharing. Their interest and concern for the school was strong and they did not oppose the idea of going forth with legislation.

In February the school began working with Mary Hartnett, the Executive Director for the Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Mary Hartnett encourage the Chipshot Committee to begin the process of developing a bill which would enable the school to have better cash flow. Mary walked the committee through the steps of developing such legislation and by early March, after many visits and conversations with key Senators and Representatives, the school had bills in both the House and Senate Education Committees. The work did not stop there and the committee members worked tirelessly, as did Mary, to ensure they were doing everything possible to get support for this bill. MDS-MNSA staff, students and families rallied many times over the past several months to email, call and visit with their Senators and Representatives. Much lobbying occurred the last week before session ended to make sure the bill remained on everyone’s “radar”.

On May 16th the bill (HF 3329) was passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House. It proceeded to the Governor’s desk and on May 25, 2010, Governor Pawlenty signed it into law. This bill will enable MDS-MNSA to have better control over their cash flow from MDE and enable the school to keep its doors open!

A special thanks to the Chipshot Committee for the work accomplished:

• Mary Zweber
• Barb Boelter
• June Damrow
• Tom Anderson
• Jo Gascoigne
• Dyan Sherwood
• Sandy Schmidt

And to Mary Hartnett who supported, trained and championed our bill from start to finish!