A number of legislative issues may affect the International Falls school district.

The Falls School Board Tuesday heard about a proposed online learning bill being championed by district Superintendent Don Langan. It also heard about Quality Compensation legislation and a possible federal stimulus plan.

The proposed online learning bill seeks to level the playing field between online learning and traditional education, Langan said. The bill has been approved by both the Minnesota House and the Senate.

The proposed online learning bill would require vendors offering online classes to work with the school to determine if online classes are in the best interest of the student, Langan said. Now, students can register for online classes without the school being notified.

A federal stimulus package being proposed in the U.S. Senate is calling for $3 billion for schools to remodel. Districts that are rural and have a number of students receiving reduced price and free lunch would be given priority for the funding. The Falls school district falls into that category, Langan said. He noted that if passed, the funding would go directly to the state and would be under the control of the Minnesota Department of Education and Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Langan took issue with a proposed change to Quality Compensation being promoted by Pawlenty. Q-Comp helps teachers work together to evaluate and improve their teaching. The change would make mandatory the reimbursement of $260 per student for districts implementing Q-Comp in the future. Langan estimated it would cost the state millions and the Falls school district wouldn’t receive any of it as a result of already implementing Q-Comp. But districts such as Littlefork-Big Falls, Virginia and Mountain Iron-Buhl could receive $260 per student because they haven’t implemented it, he said. However, Langan said he doesn’t believe it will pass.

Meanwhile, the school board was also made aware that the district is expected to have a deficit for the 2010 fiscal year.

Due to decreases in several sources of revenue, Langan said he expects the district to receive $500,000 less for the 2010 fiscal year than it will in 2009. The changes were explained when the board received the tentative 2010 revenue budget. The decreases in funding are expected to happen in the district’s general education aid and federal aid it receives through the Minnesota Department of Education, Langan said.

However, Langan pointed out that the district will have a surplus this year and is not recommending the district cut any programs.

Falls School Board news notes

* The Falls School Board approved the resignation of Debbie Gushulak as the multi-age class teacher. The board also approved in a 4-1 vote to suspend the math/science coordinator position to allow the coordinator, Deana Lorensen, to fill the vacancy left by Gushulak. Board member Michelle Hebner opposed the motion. Board member Roger Jerome was absent from the meeting.

A motion made by Hebner to post the vacant position and hire an elementary teacher failed because it lacked a second.

Board member Willi Kostiuk said that it didn’t make sense to post the position mid-year, and transferring Lorenson into the position will be the least disruptive for the students.

* The board approved the hiring of Marilyn Bigler as an educational support professional.

* Board member Darrell Wagner was elected chair of the board with three votes. Jerome was also nominated for the chair position and received two votes.

Jerome was elected clerk of the board. Board member Mark Lassila was elected treasurer and Hebner was elected vice chair.