Clausen's All-Day Kindergarten Funding Proposal Headed to Governor's Desk

A $15.7 billion education package that will "make life easier" for working parents, according to the bill's supporters, now awaits Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton's signature as work begins to wrap up on the 2013 Legislative Session. 

After a third reading, the amended omnibus bill was approved 78-56 in the Minnesota House with small support from Republicans over the weekend, picking up five GOP votes in the state house. The Senate also voted 41-26 on Sunday to pass the amended version of the bill.

The bill raises the state's method of funding local schools by $156 per pupil for a total of nearly $235 million in new education money.

The bulk of that is spent on a new all-day, everyday kindergarten program funded at the state, with $134 million appropriated to a program that "will provide funding for districts that want or need it." 

"Currently, 17 percent of Minnesota kindergartners attend all-day programs that are fee-based," said Apple Valley Sen. Greg Clausen (DFL). In January, Clausen authored an all-day kindergarten funding bill in the Senate that was later rolled into the K-12 education omnibus bill.

"Traditionally, that cost [for all-day kindergarten] has been $300 to $400 per month. This creates inequity in our schools, giving only some who can afford the cost the opportunity for all-day, everyday kindergarten." 

Over the past decade, the state has slipped from 10th in the nation in education funding to 22nd. Class sizes, according to state DFL numbers, are 47th in the nation in teacher-to-student ratio.

Apple Valley's Rep. Tara Mack (R) and Rep. Anna Wills (R) both voted against the omnibus education bill in the House.

Republican critics took aim at a controversial plan to end required graduation testing students must pass in order to receive a diploma.

"In the real world, there are tests," District 20A Rep. Kelby Woodard (R) said. "As a small business owner, when I go out and do proposals, it's a high stakes test, and if i fail it, i don't have bacon t bring home to the five kids."