Minnesota DFL legislators strike deal to give schools $2.2 billion funding boost

Minnesota legislative negotiators struck an education spending deal Friday that would tie future school funding increases to the rate of inflation, help cover the rising cost of special education services and address districts' concerns about the cost of a new mandate.

Democrats' education budget agreement includes a 4% funding increase for schools in fiscal year 2024, a 2% increase in 2025 and annual inflationary boosts capped at 3% afterward. Their bill also includes more than $300 million per year to help cover schools' special education costs, and more than $60 million a year to fund a new mandate requiring districts to pay unemployment insurance to hourly school-year workers between academic terms.

"It's the biggest historic investment in education above base that we've ever done," said House Education Finance Committee chair Cheryl Youakim, DFL-Hopkins.

https://www.startribune.com/minn-dfl-legislators-strike-deal-to-give-schools-2-billion-funding-boost-special-education/600274532/