ST. PAUL (KMHL) – There won’t be an easy deal on education funding as lawmakers are working on a compromise that could end the legislative session.
“It’s going to be challenging going forward,” said House Education Committee chair Rep. Jim Davnie (D-Minneapolis). “The differences between the house and the senate bills are dramatic.”
Gov. Tim Walz is asking for $700 million dollars in new funding for schools, Democrats in the house want $900 million, and the Senate version is calling for just $200 million.
Davnie notes there’s also a big difference on funding for early childhood education.
“We make a significant investment in Early Childhood Education, just to maintain access for 4,000 4-year-old’s across the state to early childhood programming,” said Davnie. “The Senate does not make that same commitment.
The Marshall School District is one of 21 school districts in the state that receives the early childhood funding.
