The following are summaries of governors’ budget requests for precollegiate education and final action by legislatures on education-related matters.
Governors’ Proposals
ILLINOIS
Governor: Jim Edgar (R)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $25.59 billion
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $3.40 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $3.35 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +1.5 percent
Highlights:
Governor calling for property-tax increases to be limited to 5 percent or the rate of inflation.
Also seeking to extend 20 percent income-tax surcharge that funds education and is due to expire this year.
MAINE
Governor: John R. McKernan Jr. (R)
FY 1992-93 proposed state budget: $3.23 billion
FY 1992-93 proposed K-12 budget: $1.43 billion
FY 1990-91 K-12 budget: $1.30 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +9.6 percent
Highlights:
Despite percentage increase over last two-year cycle, little change in education funding planned. Projected spending is frozen at level of fiscal 1991 portion of the last biennial budget.
Governor seeking $1 million for new program to improve early-childhood development through parent education.
MICHIGAN
Governor: John Engler (R)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $8.06 billion
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $1.53 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $888 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +72 percent
Highlights:
Governor’s budget includes $500 million to compensate districts for proposed 20 percent reduction in property taxes over three years.
Also calling for implementation of Learnfare program for welfare recipients and tax penalties for other parents of teenagers who fail to meet school-attendance requirements.
Budget provides $13 million in foreign-language-instruction incentive grants, $2.37 million for math and science centers, and $1 million for pilot open-enrollment programs within intermediate school districts.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Governor: Judd Gregg (R)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $684 million
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $74.8 million
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $73.6 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +1.7
Highlights:
Legislature, citing burgeoning expense, is considering changes to school administrative-unit structure created to keep down costs.
Governor proposing increased student assessments and school-choice program.
OHIO
Governor: George V. Voinovich (R)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $13.03 billion
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $2.96 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $3 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: -1.3 percent
Highlights:
Governor pledging to establish Governor’s Education Management Council to monitor educational governance and finance issues.
Calling for $50-million equity fund to help equalize school spending.
Budget would expand Medicaid health-care coverage to all pregnant women and infants up to age 1, starting in 1993, and also increase number of eligible children in Head Start.
Final Action
GEORGIA
Governor: Zell Miller (D)
FY 1992 state budget: $7.96 billion
FY 1992 K-12 budget: $2.88 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $2.85 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +1.2 percent
Highlights:
Legislature approved constituional amendments creating lottery to fund education and abolishing system of elected school superintendents, which will go before state voters in 1992.
Also approved bills creating autonomous Professional Standards Commission to regulate and stream line teacher licensure; and changing state testing program to include fewer, but more challenging, standardized tests.
Budget would not provide for across-the-board raises for teachers; contains $3 million for pilot program of prekindergarten programs for disadvantaged children.
