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State Representative David Bly
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0171
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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BLY VOTES TO PRESERVE SCHOOL FUNDING DURING BUDGET CRISIS
House protects Minnesota students from damaging budget cuts
ST. PAUL – This week the Minnesota House of Representatives passed three education funding bills that maintain a strong commitment to quality education at every level in these difficult economic times. On Thursday, the House passed early education and K-12 education bills that would prevent cuts while at the same time improve our education system with cost effective reforms. Earlier this week, the House passed a Higher Education bill that held down college tuition at public colleges and universities. Rep. David Bly (DFL – Northfield) said making education a top priority in the effort to balance the budget is the most responsible way to position Minnesota for future economic success.
“The last time we had a similar economic downturn in Minnesota our leaders had the foresight to invest in education and we have the best workforce in the nation to show for it," said Bly. “In this economic downturn, we have a responsibility to look beyond this budget cycle and to the future and that means maintaining our commitment to education.”
Here are provisions included in the education bills passed in the House this week:
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
• Invests $455 million in Minnesota’s early childhood education system to narrow the achievement gap
• Preserves early childhood care and education programs, and protects restored funding levels
• Creates a Director of Early Learning to streamline early care and education programs
• Utilizes $26 million in federal recovery funds to reduce the basic sliding fee childcare waiting lists
K-12 EDUCATION – HF2
• Provides dependable, stable funding for education in difficult economic times
• Reduces mandates to help school districts save money and operate with more efficiency and flexibility
• Reforms special education mandates to help school districts reduce costs and operate more efficiently
• Paves the way for significant school funding reform when the economy recovers by beginning a four year phase-in of the New Minnesota Miracle by 2014
• Strengthens oversight, governance, and financial management of charter schools
HIGHER EDUCATION – HF869
• Utilizes federal recovery dollars at the University of Minnesota and the MnSCU system for the next two years and directs that those resource must be used to hold down tuition
o Tuition cannot exceed 5% per year at MnSCU campuses
o Tuition cannot increase more than $300 per year for the next two years at the U of M
• Directs the University of Minnesota to use federal recovery dollars to create a new scholarship to help offset the impact of rising tuition for middle income students
“Our mix of adequate funding with cost-saving and performance-minded reforms will enhance the educational opportunities available to Minnesota students,” said Bly, who co-authored the early education and higher education bills. “Despite our recession and budget situation, we are proud that instead of moving backward or standing in the same place we are moving forward.”
The House education bills will now move to a conference committee to be reconciled with the Senate education bill before being sent to the Governor for final passage.
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