The New Minnesota Miracle

A Public School Funding Plan for the 21^st Century

 Regional meetings
  Parent group handout
 Background
 HF 4178 / SF 3828

Representative Mindy Greiling:

“For the first time, we’re actually providing enough money to fairly fund the needs of every student and every district, so they can meet the academic expectations we set for them.”

Senator Terri Bonoff:

“It is our responsibility to provide all Minnesota students – regardless of where they live – with the tools they need to succeed in our global economy.  This task force recommendation is the first step toward meeting that goal.”

Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher:

“Making sure that every student is prepared to succeed in the 21st century marketplace – whether they go on to college or vocational school, or enter the workforce – is a value we can all stand behind.  I look forward to making the vision of a New Minnesota Miracle a reality that works for every Minnesota school and student.”

The New Minnesota Miracle

• Simplifies and increases state public school funding
  
  
• Is fair, balanced and needs based
  
  
• Reduces property taxes
  
  
• Lays a foundation for every student to succeed when they graduate from high school

Highlights

• The proposal begins a phased increase to school funding of $1.7 billion beginning in 2010, while reducing property taxes by $600 million
  
  
• Increases the formula allowance from $5,175 to $7,500, indexed to the implicit price deflator
  
  
• Uses a scalable blueprint that can be phased in over several years
  
  
• Equalizes the pupil weighting system for students in kindergarten through high school to 1.0
  
  
• Enhances compensatory aid and funding for English language learners
  
  
• Fully funds voluntary all-day kindergarten
  
  
• Fully funds state special education costs by removing existing caps
  
  
• Provides flexibility for districts to fund early childhood programs
  
  
• Accounts for declining enrollment in every geographic region of the state
  
  
• Includes a levy referendum offset of $500 per pupil in districts with levies; provides $500 per pupil to districts without a levy in place
  
  
• Includes innovation and accountability measures including a requirement that a district use at least 1.5 percent of its basic revenue for innovation, research-based programs to improve academic performance
  
  
• Creates a new school bond agricultural credit equal to 20 percent of the property tax on agricultural properties attributable to school bond levies

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