A less-than-enthusiastic endorsement — especially from some Democrats — as Minnesota House and Senate negotiators wrapped up a 20-plus-billion dollar public school funding bill in preparation for a special session likely later this week. Maplewood Senator Chuck Wiger says the bill is “improved” over what it was before. “It’s agreed to, and eventually the democracy has to move ahead with an agreement,” Wiger says.
Republican Senator Gary Dahms from Redwood Falls says he’s a “little disappointed” there’s not more reform in the bill, but “there’s some really good pieces of legislation in here for rural Minnesota. I appreciate seeing that.”
The bill gives school districts a two-percent funding increase per pupil in each of the next two years. And funding is continued for voluntary pre-kindergarten already in place in some Minnesota school districts.