Minnesota House debates education funding package that includes more than $2 billion boost for schools
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota House on Thursday passed an education package that indexes baseline state school funding to the rate of inflation in future years.
The bill includes a $2.2 billion boost to schools and education programs, which bill author DFL Cheryl Youakim said represents an additional 10% in funding over the previous two-year budget. The inflation change will take effect in three years—next fiscal year the funding formula will see a 4% increase and the following year a 2% increase.
"Instead of our districts having to come up every single year to beg for just a little more to do the job they're doing, we give them stable funding going forward so they can plan for the future," Youakim said, who called it "transformational."
There's also funding earmarked to support hiring school psychologists, plug funding gaps for special education and increase the number of teachers of color. Under the plan, schools must stock up on opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone in as the opioid epidemic intensifies and the state will also cover those costs.
The 300-page bill includes literacy requirements and teacher training as state leaders look to improve student achievement after test scores dropped from pre-pandemic levels. State data show just half of students were proficient at reading last year. Those changes include developing new screenings to assess skills for students in kindergarten through third grade.
Republicans criticized the plan as stripping schools of local control and say it implements mandates that are burdensome for districts to meet. Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, believes the literacy language is a start, but still falls short
"Last evening in the governor's address, he talked about banning books, which is a misnomer. We always protect children from certain types of things and it's appropriate to do that in the right places," said Bennett, who was a teacher for 33 years. "But every book is banned when a child can't read."
"We can't simply move towards something like a turtle—our kids can't afford that," she added.
Other policy provisions in the bill require students to complete civics and personal finance credits before high school graduation and makes clear the study of genocide and the Holocaust must be included in social studies curriculum. Ethnic studies would be part of the state's academic standard, among other provisions.
"The most important part about this bill is it reaches every corner of our state and every one of our students in our schools," said Youakim.
