A new public school funding bill that reflects a compromise between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP House Speaker Kurt Daudt includes 2-percent yearly increases in the state's per-pupil aid allotment, along with significant spending boosts for several early education initiatives.
The early education initiatives do not include money to provide full or partial universal prekindergarten classes at Minnesota public schools, which had been Dayton's top priority but which he abandoned in a compromise with House Republicans. In the end, Dayton and Daudt agreed on a total education spending increase of $525 million within total spending of about $17 billion.
The early education programs that do get funded are school readiness grants, which get a $30.7 million boost. Early education scholarships increase by $48.2 million and Head Start will get $10 million in additional funds.
