Although sources and quantities differed substantially, much of Monday’s school board meeting centered around one theme: funding.

Schools for Equity in Education Executive Director Brad Lundell presented a Legislature update to the Albert Lea school board, with topics ranging from the pension bill to Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed $137.9 million emergency school aid. Schools for Equity in Education is a coalition of 57 Minnesota school districts, including Albert Lea Area Schools, one of whose purposes is lobbying at the state Capitol on education issues.

There are currently three proposals under consideration related to school safety, Lundell said. Although the three differ in scope for proposed increases to the current safe school revenue, the revenue for all three could be spent on mental health support staff — social workers, counselors, school resource officers — and physical school safety and security boosts.

“I think the best possible outcome here is going to be a clean school safety bill,” Lundell said of the legislative session. He predicted a final decision would look more like the House bill, which proposes an ongoing increase in safe school revenue to $18 per pupil funded entirely by state aid. However, Lundell said all of the approaches to school safety allow for spending flexibility regarding what schools could use funding for.

In addition, although the House of Representatives did not add to long-term maintenance revenue in another bill, they did open the umbrella to include physical school safety enhancements under their 10-year facilities maintenance plans. Lundell said things included in this could be more secure entryways, cyber-security improvements, a loudspeaker system or camera installation.

Superintendent Mike Funk asked Lundell what was driving Dayton’s proposed emergency funding. According to Lundell, the governor’s emergency funding, if passed, would provide $568,483 in one-time total revenue for Albert Lea Area Schools.

“I think, first and foremost, the governor is looking, he was looking for something that had some traction,” Lundell said. Lundell listed a few of Dayton’s proposals — including his more than $19 million per year special education funding proposal — that were perhaps not receiving the desired traction. Dayton’s recommendation would change formula components that affect how aid dollars are calculated. With that change, Lundell said Albert Lea would receive an additional $104,232 in aid.

“I think he’s looking for something that they will buy,” Lundell said of the emergency funding. He included the metro district cuts as one driver, but also listed declining enrollment in rural schools that need money to battle those numbers and some failed referendums last year that may now mean big cuts for high-profile districts.

Funk also requested clarification on aid potential for the district with the pension bill affecting public employees, already passed by the Senate, that looks to increase cost-of living-adjustments and contributions from both employers and employees and tamping down retiree benefits. Lundell said the state will pick up the employer’s share. Lundell expects the pension bill to pass, he said.

In other action:

• The school board selected a canvass date following Tuesday’s special election. The school board will meet to canvass on May 17.

• Funk outlined a presentation he attended at the National School Board Association for consideration when the school board reorganization next winter.

• Funk also shared information from a career and technical education session he attended at the same conference. Funk said transitioning classes to be more hands-on and to address concerns by the workforce about students’ readiness appears to be the trend in education.

“I think this is an area that is a real growth opportunity for Albert Lea Schools,” he said. School board member Neal Skaar and Funk both asked student school board members Gigi Otten and Ella Zelenak for a student opinion on whether students saw relevancy in their coursework and were engaged in school. Otten said the problem for students is not in the classes themselves, but in allowing less student exploration of classes in their areas of interest.

• School board Chairman Ken Petersen said the challenge for schools is bringing out the skills and gifts in every student.

“It’s good that we’re not all the same, but I think that creates some challenges and it’s good to talk about it and analyze it,” he said.