The The following are summaries of final action by legislatures on education-related matters.
MINNESOTA
Governor: Rudy Perpich (D)
FY 1990-91 state budget: $13.8 billion
FY 1990-91 K-12 budget: $4.4 billion
K-12 change for FY 91: +$247.6 million
Highlights:
- Budget includes funds to authorize alternative certification for teachers.
- Also includes money for drug-prevention programs, studies of mathematics and science instruction, and inspection of school facilities.
- Legislature also approved reduction in state contribution to teachers’ retirement fund to funnel more money to general school aid.
PENNSYLVANIA
Governor: Robert P. Casey (D)
FY 1991 state budget: $12.3 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $2.7 billion
FY 1990 K-12 budget: $2.6 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +3.2 percent
Highlights:
- Legislature approved a $32-million boost for special-education programs, and an increase of nearly $10 million to expand programs for handicapped infants and toddlers.
- Eliminated funds to help school districts remediate students scoring poorly on state-mandated standardized tests.
- Set aside $5 million to provide incentives for schools to train “instructional-support teams,” which will serve all students who have trouble learning.
- Rejected proposals to: change the funding formula for special education, raise the state-mandated minimum salary for teachers to $21,000, and provide financial incentives to help school districts reduce class sizes.
RHODE ISLAND
Governor: Edward D. DiPrete (R)
FY 1991 state budget: $1.52 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $409.6 million
FY 1990 K-12 budget: $373.7 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +9.6 percent
Highlights:
- Legislature enacted Governor’s “Children’s Crusade,” which will provide scholarships to students attending state colleges.
- Budget attains goal of having state provide 50 percent of school funding.
- Legislature passed temporary 1-cent sales-tax increase to offset budget deficit.
