ST. PAUL, MN – Lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the K-12 Education budget bill this evening by a vote of 78 to 56. Pending a vote in the Minnesota Senate, the legislation is on its way to Governor Mark Dayton’s desk to be signed into law.
The budget pays for statewide all-day Kindergarten, early learning scholarships, and $234 million in additional funding for the basic K-12 school funding formula, or roughly $156 per pupil.
The plan is designed to meet ambitious goals that include closing the achievement gap, reaching a 100 percent high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy by third grade, and 100 percent career and college readiness by graduation. It also includes reforms to student assessments and teacher licensure to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent as effectively as possible.
“In order to compete in an increasingly global economy and attract more businesses to set up shop in Minnesota, we need a well-educated workforce,” said Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL—Austin). “Over the past decade, it’s become clear that we cannot cut our way to economic growth. Instead, we need to pay for proven strategies like early childhood education so students can obtain the skills and knowledge that lead to greater academic success. This bill gets the job done. I was proud to support it.”
The bill passed tonight by the House is a stark contrast from education bills of the past decade. As Minnesota remained trapped in a cycle of perpetual deficits, the fiscal burden fell on the backs of students and schools in the form of painful budget cuts. As a result, a number of school districts cut back to four-day school weeks. Even more alarming, Minnesota slipped from the top 10 in funding to 22nd and now ranks 47th in the nation in classroom sizes.
Reforms to student assessments and diagnostics, teacher licensure, and integration initiatives included in the bill are key to making sure the new investments deliver meaningful results and improved outcomes.
For example, the bill replaces the GRAD exam with career and college readiness entrance exams. Students will take these new tests beginning in middle school to provide parents and kids with important diagnostics to empower them with early planning for their career goals and success in learning.
The bill 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, includes a new Student Achievement Levy and raises and indexes operating referendum levy equalization factors to reduce property taxes. The provisions are expected to be in the final Omnibus Tax Bill.
Rep. Poppe encourages her constituents to contact her with any questions or comments. She can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4193, by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn, or by postal mail at 487 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.