The following are summaries of governors’ budget requests for precollegiate education and related highlights of their legislative agendas. Final action by lawmakers will be reported in the months ahead.
COLORADO
Governor: Roy Romer (D)
FY 1989 proposed state budget: $2.2 billion
FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget: $940.9 million
FY 1988 K-12 budget: $904.6 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +4 percent
Highlights:
$1.8 billion for new preschool program for 2,000 at-risk children.
Recommends merit pay for teachers, upgraded teacher-certification standards, better measurements of student performance, and a new school-funding formula. No specific funding levels requested for these proposals.
Pledges to raise state’s share of public-school financing from 47 percent to 50 percent in coming years.
4 percent of state aid to schools would be distributed by raising the state’s per-pupil expenditure or by changing methods by which schools count pupil enrollment.
IOWA
Governor: Terry E. Branstad (R)
FY 1989 proposed state budget: $2.59 billion
FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget: $981.7 million
FY 1988 K-12 budget: $919.9 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +7 percent
Highlights:
$92.5 million to continue “Excellence in Education” program begun last year to raise teacher salaries. Includes $41.8 million for developing performance-based pay plans.
$800,000 for effective-schools, teacher-empowerment, and school-leadership pilot projects.
$250,000 to develop a computer conferencing system linking schools and colleges statewide.
MAINE
Governor: John R. McKernan Jr. (R)
FY 1988-89 state budget: $2.42 billion (approved June 1987)
FY 1988-89 K-12 budget: $750.2 million
Proposed change K-12 budget: $25.6 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +3 percent
Highlights:
$19.2-million increase in aid to ease districts’ property-tax burden.
$3.5-million initiative to increase the availability and quality of child-care services.
MARYLAND
Governor: William Donald Schaefer (D)
FY 1989 proposed state budget: $5.5 billion
FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget: $1.61 billion
FY 1988 K-12 budget: $1.53 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +5 percent
Highlights:
$13.3 million in construction and start-up funds for new residential high school for math and science.
$3.25 million for dropout-prevention programs.
$5.5 million to expand day care, particularly for poor families.
$60 million for school construction.
Urges consolidating governance of 11 of the 13 public colleges and universities under a single board.
NEW MEXICO
Governor: Garrey E. Carruthers (R)
FY 1989 proposed state budget: $1.5 billion
FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget: $797 million
FY 1988 K-12 budget: $769 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +4 percent
Highlights:
Proposes providing all aid to districts in the form of block grants.
$16.4 million to maintain the current per-pupil expenditure.
$6.1 million to reduce class sizes in 2nd grade.
$2.7 million to reduce the size of 7th-grade English classes.
Calls for repeal of law that eliminated noninstructional duties for teachers; would save $1.2 million.
$450,000 to expand bilingual programs.
3 percent raises for all state employees--not including teachers.
WASHINGTON STATE
Governor: Booth Gardner (D)
FY 1988-89 state budget: $10.2 billion (approved May 1987)
FY 1988-89 K-12 budget: $4.71 billion
Proposed change K-12 budget $39.2 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +0.8 percent
Highlights:
Stresses need to implement reforms adopted in 1987.
$38.4 million in additional aid for enrollment increases.
$800,000 for AIDS education.
WEST VIRGINIA
Governor: Arch Moore (R)
FY 1989 proposed state budget: $1.46 billion
FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget: $771.7 million
FY 1988 K-12 budget: $754.5 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +2 percent
Highlights:
Has called for a special legislative session in April to deal with educational reform and finance issues. Additional spending may be proposed at that time.
