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| Date: | March 9, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Peter D. Winiecki | | Contact Phone: | 651-297-8077 | | Contact Email: | peter.winiecki@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM SENATOR DAVE BROWN |
We are nearly halfway through the 2011 Legislative Session and although solving the state’s budget deficit remains the first and foremost priority, I would like to keep you up to date about another important item that I’ve been working on.
I am the chief author of Senate File 422, which prioritizes the Basic Revenue formula for school funding. If enacted, it will benefit every school district in the state in an even-handed manner.
A snapshot of the bill:
• Prioritizes basic revenue funding
• Minimizes the differences in total per-student, general education funding statewide
• Provides that in years where funding formulas are increased, no less than 90 percent of the increase can be used to raise the basic revenue formula allowance
I strongly believe in reforming the way we fund education in Minnesota because over the years, the creation of multiple education funding formulas in a highly-politicized environment has led to disparities of hundreds and even thousands of dollars per student between school districts.
Here are some examples of our area school district revenues per student:
Princeton $8,200
Becker $7,963
Big Lake $7,481
Milaca $7,828
Foley $7,869
Isle $8,175
Minneapolis $13,951
Statewide $9,682
This bill is the starting point for reforming the ways we fund our schools. Placing the funding emphasis on the Basic Revenue formula also provides the most flexibility for school districts since it makes up the core of their funding and has relatively few mandates attached to it.
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