Legislative Update

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The following are summaries of governors’ budget requests for precollegiate education and highlights of proposals that rank high on the states’ education agendas.

DELAWARE

Governor: Thomas R. Carper (D)

FY 1995 proposed state budget: $1.46 billion
FY 1995 proposed K-12 budget: $497 million
FY 1994 K-12 budget: $467 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +6.4 percent

Highlights

Seeking to end court supervision of school desegregation, Governor proposing $4.2 million package to comply with court recommendations.

Package includes $350,000 in grants to public schools to increase diversity in staffing and $3.2 million to establish alternative schools and special classes for students with disciplinary problems.

Budget also includes a 2 percent pay increase for all state employees.

As part of ongoing education-reform plan, Governor requesting $1.8 million for districts to conduct student assessments.

KANSAS

Governor: Joan Finney (D)

FY 1995 proposed state budget: $3.34 billion
FY 1995 proposed K-12 budget: $1.626 billion
FY 1994 K-12 budget: $1.576 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: +3.1 percent.

Highlights

Lawmakers have held hearings on a measure that would provide tuition vouchers for low-income students to attend private schools.

Legislature will decide whether to allocate money to study alternatives to a provision of school foundation formula that provides more funds per student in small districts. A state judge has ruled that the provision renders the formula unconstitutional.

WEST VIRGINIA

Governor: Gaston Caperton (D)

FY 1995 proposed state budget: $2.21 billion
FY 1995 proposed K-12 budget: $1.25 billion
FY 1994 K-12 budget: $1.18 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: + 5.9 percent

Highlights

Governor requesting $41 million for a $1,000 salary increase for all public school teachers.

Budget also earmarks $7.5 million for an ongoing program to improve basic computer skills by installing computers in every elementary school classroom.