Senate unanimously passes K-12 funding

By Scott Wente

Capitol Reporter

      ST. PAUL - Setting up a closely watched end-of-session negotiation, the DFL-led Senate unanimously passed a K-12 education funding plan Thursday that trumps earlier proposals by Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the GOP-dominated House.

      On a 67-0 vote, the Senate backed a plan to pump an additional $761 million in state aid to schools during the two-year budget cycle beginning July 1. The vote came after a three-hour debate.

      Lawmakers said that three years of stagnant state funding have left schools struggling. Without big aid increases, districts will be forced to lop more money from their budgets and students will suffer, they said.

      “The public wants to have their schools funded and improved,” said Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, who drafted the funding proposal.

      The Senate package would increase the basic per-pupil state aid formula by 5 percent in 2006 and 4 percent in 2007. The bill also increases special education funding and provides districts with new money to improve staff development.

      “I think the increase in the formula is enough to support it by itself,” Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said of the bill.

      Kubly said many of the 21 school districts he represents will benefit from increases to special state aid, such as additional funding for impoverished students and high transportation costs.

      “For my district, it’s a pretty good bill,” he said.

      Republican members also said schools are barely getting by and need more help. Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel, said his constituents sent him a strong message.

      “My teachers and superintendents are saying, ‘Support the Senate bill,’” Dille said.

      Lawmakers anticipated bipartisan support for the measure. One of the GOP minority caucus’ most conservative members, Sen. Brian LeClair of Woodbury, was applauded by fellow lawmakers when he cast a yes vote.

      The Senate’s plan to pay for the increase has yet to be unveiled. The DFL Caucus will likely try to raise the income tax on the state’s highest earners. However, that won’t garner Republican votes and it may not get support from all of the DFL members either, lawmakers said.

      The Senate vote came one day after the House passed its K-12 funding plan, which would spend $622 million of new state aid on schools. The House proposal raises the basic per-pupil funding formula by about 3 percent each year. It also allows for $112 million in new local levies.

      A conference committee will settle differences between the House and Senate versions, and Pawlenty’s proposal. The governor wants to spend roughly $470 million in additional aid to schools. He proposes 2.5-percent annual increases to the basic funding formula.

      Overall, K-12 education will cost the state more than $12 billion during the budget period. House Republicans say their plan provides sufficient increases. But Stumpf said he doesn’t want to settle on anything less than what the Senate approved.

      “That’s the message I’m going to take to conference committee,” he said.

The Senate K-12 education funding plan also:

- Provides $100,000 in emergency funds to the Red Lake School District to pay for high school building repairs following the March 21 school shooting.

- Allocates $93 million for school districts to create alternative ways to pay teachers while improving staff development. The Senate’s plan differs from Pawlenty’s new compensation proposal, which would pay teachers based on student achievement rather than seniority.

- Create a statewide health insurance pool for school staff.