Metro area school districts are eyeing a total budget gap of more than $50 million in the 2016-17 school year, according to a survey of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD).

Topping the list is the St. Paul Public Schools, which now is working to resolve a projected $15.1 million shortfall. The Minneapolis Public Schools has yet to reveal whether it faces a deficit.

The forecast comes a year after state lawmakers and Gov. Mark Dayton agreed on a biennial budget calling for 2 percent increases on the per-pupil funding formula in both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. District officials long have argued that state aid has failed to keep pace with inflation.

Of the 40 K-12 districts represented by AMSD, 26 face shortfalls, with five districts reporting budget gaps of more than $2.5 million. In addition to St. Paul, the districts include:

Anoka-Hennepin, $2.7 million.

Bloomington, $2.9 million.

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage, $5 million.

Lakeville, $5.4 million.

St. Paul, Bloomington and Burnsville-Eagan-Savage also had to trim budgets in 2015-16.

In a news release, Scott Croonquist, executive director of AMSD, suggested the state could "mitigate the projected budget gaps by investing in special education or by increasing the basic education funding formula." The group notes, however, that no such proposal currently is on the table at the state Capitol.