WILLMAR -- While still waiting to see what happens with education funding in this legislative session, Education Minnesota officials are looking ahead to the next one.
Some legislators are talking about reforming the state's method of funding schools, said Tom Dooher, president of Education Minnesota, and the state's largest teachers' union has developed some suggestions for negotiators to consider. He was in Willmar Thursday to talk about education funding issues.
Many of the state's school districts have been making budget cuts this spring, because a 1 percent increase in state funding is not expected to cover increases in fuel and insurance costs.
The Legislature has approved some emergency funding to ease the crunch for schools for next year. However, Gov. Tim Pawlenty doesn't like the education finance bill and may veto it. It's unclear whether the Legislature would override a veto.
The plan provides another $51 per pupil for the 2008-09 school year in one-time funding. A district the size of Willmar would receive more than $200,000 if the legislation ultimately becomes law.
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"It's better than nothing at all," Dooher said. "They're not raising taxes. They're taking money that's not being used in the current budget."
The state's current method of paying for schools, taking most of the funding from the state general fund, can be heavily affected by the rise and fall of the overall economy.
"Public education is the economic engine for the state," Dooher said. The union has joined with a variety of other organizations to urge lawmakers to overhaul the state funding formula.
Hearings on funding proposals are scheduled for later this spring and summer.
The union offers four recommendations for a new system.
"It has to be equitable," Dooher said. "It should not matter what your ZIP code is."
Funding should be sustainable, coming from a source that will be reliable from year to year, and it must also be predictable and not vulnerable to dips in the economy.
The fourth recommendation from the union is that the funding be sufficient.
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"Education hasn't been sufficiently funded for years," he said. "If the education system is stronger, communities are stronger."
