Legislative Update

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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.

ALABAMA

Governor:

Guy Hunt (R)

FY 1989-90 proposed state budget:

$3.03 billion

FY 1989-90 proposed K-12 budget:

$1.32 billion

FY 1987-88 K-12 budget:

$1.13 billion

Percent change K-12 budget:

+17 percent

Highlights

$51 million for proposed "quality in education act." Would raise standards for teachers, administrators, and students; offer cash incentives to schools to raise students' performance; and extend the school year.

$29 million to increase teachers' salaries. Proposes raising them to national average over five years.

Recommends $130-million limit on utility-tax revenues for Special Education Trust Fund, which finances both precollegiate and higher education. Revenues from that tax estimated this year at $171 million; $41 million in excess revenues would be used for welfare programs and to raise state employees' salaries.

DELAWARE

Governor:

Michael N. Castle (R)

FY 1989-90 proposed state budget:

$1.02 billion

FY 1989-90 proposed K-12 budget:

$350.4 million

FY 1987-88 K-12 budget:

$327.5 million

Percent change K-12 budget:

+7 percent

Highlights

$600,000 to hire retired teachers to free full-time teachers from non-teaching duties.

$200,000 to help districts establish extended-day child-care programs.

Proposes pilot program that would allow teachers and principals at seven schools to design and run their programs free of state regulation.

HAWAII

Governor:

John Waihee (D)

FY 1988-89 state budget:

$5.2 billion (approved April 1987)

FY 1988-89 K-12 budget:

$777.8 million

Proposed change K-12 budget:

$4.7 million

Percent change K-12 budget:

+1 percent

Highlights

$1.2 million to continue pilot "learning center" project at 21 high schools statewide.

$1.5-million increase for special education.

$840,000 for instructional television and related programs, and other projects to encourage parental involvement in education.

KENTUCKY

Governor:

Wallace G. Wilkinson (D)

FY 1989-90 proposed state budget:

$6.7 billion

FY 1989-90 proposed K-12 budget:

$2.92 billion

FY 1987-88 K-12 budget:

$2.57 billion

Percent change K-12 budget:

+14 percent

Highlights

$54 million to provide teachers with a 7 percent salary increase over the next two years.

$15-million increase in "power-equalization" funds for low-wealth districts.

Proposes $80-million bond issue to fund school construction and renovation projects.

$10 million for a new "benchmark schools" program. Would allow 15 schools to experiment with various instructional theories.

Supports continued funding for most reform measures adopted in 1985.

NEW JERSEY

Governor:

Thomas H. Kean (R)

FY 1989 proposed state budget:

$11.8 billion

FY 1989 proposed K-12 budget:

$3.5 billion

FY 1988 K-12 budget:

$3.2 billion

Percent change K-12 budget:

+9 percent

Highlights

$30 million to increase minimum salary for teachers from $18,500 to $22,000, and to provide bonuses for inner-city teachers.

$6.5 million to continue the state's teacher-recognition program. Would increase awards from $1,000 to $3,000.

$4.4 million to continue scholarship program for top college students who intend to teach.

$3.2 million to reward schools that show strong gains in student performance on basic-skills tests.

Suggests that state explore the idea of letting parents choose the public school their children attend.

Proposes toughening high-school proficiency examination by testing students at the 11th-grade, rather than 9th-grade, level.

Recommends creating a "report card" for schools.

Vol. 07, Issue 20

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