Saint Paul, Minnesota – The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the conference committee report on the Omnibus E-12 Education Finance and Policy Bill on a bipartisan vote of 78 to 56. State Representatives John Ward (DFL – Baxter) and Joe Radinovich (DFL – Crosby) voted in favor of the legislation. The bill sets the ambitious goal of closing the achievement gap, reaching the nation’s highest high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy by third grade, and having every graduate ready for college or career.
The Omnibus E-12 Education Finance and Policy Bill fully funds all-day, every day kindergarten and invests $40 million in early learning childhood scholarships. All-day K and early childhood education are proven tools to improve test scores, close the achievement gap, and prepare students for future academic success.
In addition to increased funding for kindergarten and early childhood, the bill also increases the basic funding formula for K-12 schools by three percent over the biennium, an increase of over $234 million, or $156 per pupil.
“For the first time in our history, we are fully funding optional all-day kindergarten for every single Minnesota student,” said Rep. Ward. “We’re funding early childhood scholarships and investing in our K-12 schools. We’re aiming to make a positive difference for every student. This is a great education investment for our area, our students, and our future.”
“For generations a good education was the key to upward mobility — the idea that through education and hard work children can be better off than their parents,” said Rep. Radinovich. “We’re reversing a decade of disinvestment in our education system and putting our students on the path to the world’s best workforce because we know that’s how we build a stronger economy for everyone.”
The DFL Budget also contains a new strategy to close the revenue equity gap and reduce property taxes. The budget enhances the equity formula guaranteeing all districts at least $300 per student of equity and referendum revenue and includes a new Student Achievement Levy. Both provisions were chief authored in the House by Rep. Radinovich. The budget also raises and indexes operating referendum levy equalization factors to reduce property taxes. The provisions are expected to be in the final Omnibus Tax Bill.
“For too long, we’ve watched as our local schools have had to increase class sizes, and cut technical education, gifted and talented, arts, and language programs our students need,” added Rep. Radinovich. “Our budget will make sure that a student in Crow Wing County or Aitkin County has the same opportunity for success as a student in Edina or Eagan. Every Minnesota child deserves an opportunity to get a world-class education and succeed in a global economy.”
“Rep. Radinovich did excellent work focusing on this area of the education budget,” said Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL – Dilworth), chair of the House Education Finance Committee. “He led the charge in the House to provide for equity in our education funding.”
The new investments in this education bill mark a sharp difference from the education bills of the past decade. Minnesota has been trapped in a cycle of deficits. And each time, schools, our kids, and our students paid the price. As a result, many Minnesota school districts have moved to 4-day school weeks. The state has slipped from the top 10 in funding to 22nd. Perhaps most alarming, Minnesota is now ranked 47th in the country in terms of classroom sizes.
As part of building the world’s best workforce, the Omnibus E-12 Education Finance and Policy Bill would implement several necessary reforms. Schools will be required to develop strategic plans for student achievement and update the public on their status each year. The state will utilize the Minnesota Department of Education’s Regional Centers of Excellence to provide assistance and work with schools to reach their goals.
A new student assessment system will be implemented that ensures students stay on the path to being career and college ready, and innovation grants that promote new ways to increase student achievement will be available to schools. Finally, the bill includes reforms to the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exam system, which Rep. Ward worked closely on.
“The teacher licensure system has proven itself to be problematic in keeping dedicated, talented people in teaching,” said Rep. Ward. “A test unrelated to the subject taught by the teacher should not determine their licensing or harm their career.
“Building the world’s best workforce will have far-reaching positive economic impacts for generations to come. Education is the key to our future and we’re heading full speed in the right direction with this budget.”