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State Representative Leon Lillie
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-1188
For more information contact: Ben Schweigert 651-296-5809
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REP. LILLIE AND MINNESOTA HOUSE DEMOCRATS UNVEIL EDUCATION PLAN PLAN WILL PUT A STOP TO CUTS TO CLASSROOMS AND TEACHERS AND INVEST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS
SAINT PAUL—Representative Leon Lillie joined dozens of other members of the House DFL Caucus and scores of students and parents holding signs calling for "strong schools" and "honest solutions" to unveil a plan that would fully fund our public education system in Minnesota, invest in our youngest learners, and set the state on a course to ensure success for all students.
The DFL plan includes $843 million total in new education spending, without the property tax increases and heavy reliance on shifts found in the Republican Omnibus Education Finance bill.
“This plan will stop the cuts in our school district and give our kids the resources they need in order to get a top notch education," Rep. Lillie said. "It will stop the downward spiral of cuts to our classrooms, teacher layoffs, and increasing class sizes."
The plan would increase per pupil funding by 5% in each of the next two years, two percent higher than proposed by the House Republicans. This would mean an additional $928 per pupil in the Maplewood/North St. Paul Schools over the next two years. That’s an increase of $12 million, $4 million more than proposed by the Republican House Leadership.
In addition, the Democratic plan will provide an additional 5% for special education in the second year of the biennium, dedicate funding for gifted and talented programs, and fund voluntary all-day kindergarten beginning in 2007. It also makes significant investments in early childhood programming.
"Earlier this year, 6,000 parents, educators and concern citizens rallied on the steps of the Capitol and called on our leaders to fully fund public schools," said Rep. Lillie. "We heard them, and we found a way to get the job done in an honest and equitable way."
Mary Cicconi, Executive Director for the Parents United Network, a parent-led advocacy group for Minnesota Public Schools, was on hand to lend her organization's support for the House DFL plan.
"Our first priority in the state should be the success of our students," said Cicconi. "I know that for parents, we don't want to look back and see that our children's futures were sacrificed for some ill-advised pledge to a powerful special interest group."
"My classmates and I see first hand how the budget cuts are affecting our school," said Laleh Akhavi, a St. Anthony Village High School Junior. "In some of our classes we don't even have enough textbooks."
The plan uses a balanced approach to revenue increases that includes a top income tax rate adjustment for Minnesota families earning over $250,000 a year, cutting bureaucracy in state government, and closing foreign operating corporation loopholes. The plan also incorporates the Governor's revenue changes that the Senate passed as part of SF1209.
"We raise revenue by taking a fair, balanced, and transparent approach based on ability to pay," said Rep. Lillie. "We don't shift the cost onto property taxpayers and pit school districts against each other. Most importantly, we stop the cuts to our students and classrooms."
Highlights of the DFL Education Plan:
· 5% and 5% on the formula with no delinking ($230 million and $242 million)
· Voluntary all-day kindergarten beginning in FY07
· 5% increase in special education (aid, not levy) in FY07
· $6 per pupil in Gifted and Talented Revenue
· 4% adjustment for high gas prices in transportation sparsity
· ECFE at $130 beginning in FY06
· Community Education at $6 beginning in FY06
· $6.686 million in School Readiness
· $1.266 million Health and Development Screening Aid
· $7.668 million for Head Start
· $2.5 million for MN Early Learning Foundation (MELF)
· $50,000 for School Readiness Planning Grants
· $950,000 for School Readiness Assessment
· $3.411 million for Adult Basic Education
· $3 million for Intensive English for Refugees
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