The following are summaries of final action by legislatures on education-related matters.
MAINE
Governor: John R. McKernan Jr. (R)
FY 1995 state budget: $1.66 billion
FY 1995 K-12 budget: $521.8 million
FY 1994 K-12 budget: $519.9 million
Percent change K-12 budget: +0.4 percent
Highlights
- Legislature established a statewide magnet school for mathematics and science, increased funding of school-to-work transition programs, and allocated about $1 million a year for technology grants to schools.
- Legislators also created a panel charged with studying the fairness of state’s tax structure for financing education.
- Proposal for a $15 million bond issue to fund expansion of distance-learning network failed in the legislature.
VIRGINIA
Governor: George F. Allen (R)
FY 1995 state budget: $7.4 billion
FY 1995 K-12 budget: $2.7 billion
FY 1994 K-12 budget: $2.4 billion
Percent change: +12 percent
Highlights
- The legislature approved a biennial budget, which includes $192.8 million in aid to local school districts and $113 million for salary increases for public school employees.
- Budget also includes a two-year, $103 million “education opportunity and achievement initiative,’' which will provide $37.5 million in grants to disadvantaged schools to reduce class sizes in grades K-3, $8.3 million to support a technology program in secondary schools, and $10.3 million to expand preschool programs for at-risk 4-year-olds.
