Panel Considers Adding $371 Million to Schools

Minnesota schools would receive an additional $371 million dollars over the next biennium, under a proposal reviewed by the Senate E-12 Education Finance Committee during their Monday, March 13, meeting. Sponsored by Education Finance Chair Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, the bill raises the per-pupil amount by two percent each year of the two-year budget period.

In referencing requests from school administrators for additional funding, Nelson said, "I know that this is something that I hear the most from districts across the state."

"We've had over a decade of not keeping up with funding as far as inflation is concerned, and now is the time to make a commitment to public schools and the 850,000 students in Minnesota that attend those schools," said Betsy Anderson of the Hopkins School Board.

The per-pupil funding increase is the amount requested by Governor Mark Dayton, Nelson explained. "I think with the $1.6 billion dollar surplus, it is incumbent upon us to fund those very basic education needs," she said.

The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus education funding bill.