Surrounded by preschoolers, Governor Tim Walz signed a 20-plus-billion-dollar public school funding bill into law this afternoon at a Saint Paul elementary school, first explaining to his young audience part of its purpose: “When you go on to kindergarten, next year there’ll be a whole bunch of little four-year-olds right after you — maybe some of your little brothers and sisters. They’ll be coming here,” he said. Hearty applause followed Walz signing the bill.
The compromise bill that came out of budget negotiations between the governor and Senate Republicans increases state funding for E-12 education by 543 million dollars. Governor Walz indicates he expects to sign the rest of the state budget bills by the end of the day Friday.