ST. PAUL, MN—The Minnesota House passed the K-12 Education omnibus bill Monday morning, which includes $400 million in increased funding for K-12 and early education initiatives as part of a bipartisan compromise agreement between House and Senate leaders. The bill increases per-pupil funding for every student in every school district across the state by an average of $205. It also includes $60 million in new funding for early learning pre-kindergarten scholarships and school readiness aid, additional funding for school facility maintenance, and teacher licensure reform that will streamline Minnesota's complex licensure process for out-of-state teachers. The bill passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support Monday afternoon, and now heads to the Governor for further action.
A provision similar to a bill chief authored by Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, to streamline state K-12 mandated testing is also included as part of the agreement, as well as another bill previously chief authored by Rep. Bennett to expand the list of felonies for which the Board of Teaching can automatically revoke or refuse a teaching license to include numerous sex crimes against children.
"This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that invests significant new funding in K-12 education and historic investments in early learning," Bennett said. "We all want our students to receive a world class education, and I'm pleased that Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to put kids first and invest in our schools and early learners."
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