With a teacher in the governor’s office, educators had high hopes this would be the year for a funding breakthrough.
They’re getting more than $540 million in new funding over the next two years — and still leaving the Capitol a little disappointed.
PER PUPIL FORMULA
Legislative leaders agreed to boost the per-student funding formula 2 percent each year of the next budget. That will cost $384 million of the planned budget increase.
Districts like to have new money put in the funding formula because it can be used at their discretion rather than directed at specific programs. It is typically used to pay for day-to-day operations and things like teacher salaries.
Democrats proposed a larger formula boost and Republicans a more modest one. School advocates and teachers union leaders called lawmakers agreement essentially the status quo.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
After years of being lobbied by school leaders, lawmakers are going to start to chip away at rising special education costs. The budget pact includes $90 million to address what administrators call the special education cross-subsidy.
That is how much districts have to kick in to cover state and federal mandates that government doesn’t pay cover, but should. The gap has grown to more than $800 million a year statewide.
PRESCHOOL MONEY
The education budget also includes $47 million in one-time funding to keep 4,000 preschool spots in public schools across the state. The program was first approved under Gov. Mark Dayton, but has not been permanently funded.
Under the plan approved by lawmakers, those preschool seats will be funded for another two years.
LICENSING CHANGES
The budget bill left out changes to the state’s new teacher licensing system that Democrats and union leaders wanted and Republicans and school reform advocates opposed.
Lawmakers proposed tightening the rules to get a license to prevent educators with no formal training from getting what are essentially permanent licenses.
Opponents argued the change would force teachers of color from the classroom as Minnesota was working to attract more diversity to its teaching ranks to work with a changing student population.
HIGHER EDUCATION — TUITION
Lawmakers hoped to put enough money in the higher education budget to hold the line on tuition increases, at least at state colleges and universities.
But the $150 million lawmakers settled on won’t be enough to do that. Under the plan Minnesota State will get $81.5 million in new money and the University of Minnesota will receive a $43.5 million boost.
The state grant program, which funds need-based financial aid, received $18 million in new funding.