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State Representative Linda Slocum
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7158
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
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SCHOOL TRUST LAND PAYMENTS MADE TO AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Local lawmakers working to inform Minnesotans about valuable school funding resource
(ST. PAUL) – School Trust Land payments were recently made to school districts across the state. In March, a payment of $150,000 was made from the Permanent School Trust Fund to the Bloomington School District and a payment of $65,000 was made to the Richfield School District. A total of $23 million has been paid statewide this school year.
School Trust Lands play a valuable role in funding public education. The Permanent School Trust Fund sends money to schools without raising taxes. Representatives Slocum, Thissen and Lenczewski are hopeful to increase this important school funding source.
“For too long, we have not been adequately funding our schools," Rep. Slocum (DFL – Richfield/Bloomington) said. “School Trust Land payments will not solve our greater funding problem, but are a positive step, and will offer some assistance to our schools. Through continued reforms to the management of the trust lands, we can leverage even more dollars for our public schools.”
For years, School Trust Lands were a well-kept secret. A 2008 law plugged a long-unnoticed leak in the Permanent School Trust Fund funneling interest earnings into the state’s General Fund rather than directly to school districts. New attention brought to the lands in the last few years has provided significant financial results for local school districts. Due to these payments, school districts are aware that School Trust Lands exist and generate dollars for every public school in the state.
"I have been working hard to persuade my colleagues to pass further legislation for Bloomington students as a result of further efficiencies, not tax increases, as afforded through Minnesota's School Trust Lands," said Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL -Bloomington.)
Because of legislation passed in 2008 that will enhance oversight of the Permanent School Trust Fund, Minnesota school districts have received an additional $28 per student this school year. Payments from the Permanent School Trust Fund to school districts are made in addition to the general education formula.
“Our schools are struggling and every bit of help that we can provide them in additional funding is welcome,” House Minority Leader Paul Thissen (DFL – Richfield/Minneapolis) said. “The changes we made to the School Trust Lands fund are the types of smart reforms we need to help our students and our schools. We need more thoughtful reforms to ensure our public schools are receiving the support they need to provide our children with a high-quality education.”
More than 2.5 million acres of land and an additional 1 million acres of mineral rights were set aside when Minnesota became a state. Today School Trust Lands are managed by the Minnesota DNR. Revenues earned from those lands are invested by the State Board of Investment and are constitutionally dedicated to be used for schools. Tens of millions of dollars earned on those lands are spent in classrooms every year, in every corner of Minnesota.
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