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State Representative Kim Norton
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-9249
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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NORTON VOTES TO PROTECT SCHOOLS DURING UNPRECEDENTED BUDGET SHORTFALL
ST. PAUL, MN - This week the Minnesota House of Representatives passed three bills that will keep Minnesota schools whole through the state’s worst ever budget crisis. From pre-school to college, House DFLers prioritized education spending, protecting schools from budget cuts over the next two years. State Rep. Kim Norton (DFL - Rochester) and her DFL colleagues in the House made a commitment this session to ensure Minnesota students weren’t saddled with the burden of the state’s $6.4 billion budget shortfall.
“Maintaining a nation-leading, affordable system of education in Minnesota has never been more important," said Rep. Norton who voted for all three bills. “Our economic recovery depends on a highly-trained, well-educated workforce. Connecting our students with the opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve their dreams is at the heart of what makes Minnesota such a great place to live. For the sake of our students and Minnesota’s future, we need to preserve our investments in education. It’s not only the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.”
Education bills passed by the Minnesota House this week included the following major provisions:
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - HF2088
• 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
• Begins implementing a voluntary statewide quality rating system
• Creates a Director of Early Learning to coordinate and align early care and education programs
• Utilizes $26 million in federal recovery funds to reduce the basic sliding fee childcare waiting lists
• Provides a 2% increase in provider reimbursement rates
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
• 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
• Maintains current funding of $13.7 billion for FY2010-11 using delayed payments and federal recovery funds to offset cuts to general education aid
• Strengthens oversight, governance, and financial management of charter schools
• Creates a temporary alternative path to a high school diploma for students who fail 11th grade math GRAD tests without sacrificing rigor
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
• Improves the State Grant Program by increasing the tuition maximum for 4-year programs by $100 and increasing the living and miscellaneous expense by $700
“Despite the real fiscal challenges facing lawmakers this year, we need to set priorities and fund them accordingly,” said Norton. “Maintaining adequate funding for schools is at the top of that priority list. I’m proud of what we have accomplished for schools across the state this session, especially given the state’s financial situation. From pre-school to college, we have maintained our commitment to quality education and the hopes and dreams of Minnesota students.”
An amendment authored by Rep. Norton establishing a Labor Day school start moratorium was narrowly defeated by a vote of 61 to 71. More information on the education bills passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives this week can be found online at www.house.mn.
News Items
- Rep. Norton Selected as Vice Chair of House Health and Human Services Finance Committee - (Posted: 2012-12-14 00:00:00)
- It’s Time for Legislature to Get Back to Basics, Balance the Budget Honestly - (Posted: 2012-12-11 00:00:00)
- Second Saturday Coffee Meeting Date Changed to December 9 - (Posted: 2012-12-03 00:00:00)
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