A duo of onetime provisions could help keep school districts financially afloat, if the House K-12 Finance Division’s omnibus bill becomes law.
The division reviewed HF2475, sponsored by Chairwoman Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL-Roseville), March 19. The bill includes an additional onetime $51 per student allocation, with the money coming from unused funds in the Quality Compensation for Teachers program, commonly known as Q Comp, as well as the state’s General Fund.
The division is expected to begin debating the bill March 25.
Another onetime proposal would allow school districts to transfer $51 per pupil unit from their capital budgets to their undesignated general fund balance.
Rep. Bud Heidgerken (R-Freeport) originally suggested this as an amendment to an individual school funding bill by Rep. Tim Faust (DFL-Mora). “He suggested that this year, because it’s a very hard year for schools,” Greiling said.
The bill also dictates that the governor’s suggested 4 percent cut from the Department of Education not be spread to the Board of Teaching and the Board of School Administrators.
A companion bill SF2149, sponsored by Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.
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