Anoka students will benefit from an important legislative step toward equity funding this year. By putting hundreds of millions of dollars into support for students with special needs, legislators responded to a widespread concern. In fact, they provided significantly more money to many districts, than the widely cited 2% increase for next year, and 1% increase the following year.

For years, Minneapolis and St. Paul received millions of “compensatory education” dollars that most other districts did not receive. (Anoka began receiving such funding in the last few years, and more than $1 million in the next two years)

Minneapolis and St. Paul convinced legislators that they needed extra money because have a much higher percentage of low income, limited English speaking students than most other districts. However, the percentage of students with special needs is very similar in many districts around the state. Here are figures from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) report cards, based on the 2005-2006 school year.

Low income LEP Special Ed
percentage percentage percentage

Minneapolis 67% 23% 14%
St. Paul 71% 36% 16%
Anoka 23% 7% 12%
State Average 29% 7% 12%

So while enrolling a much lower percentage of students from low income and limited English speaking families, Anoka has a much more similar percentage of students with special needs. (Full disclosure - my wife has been a special education teacher for many years).

This year’s legislature recognized reality. Significant funding for special education services responded to a real need. I wish that Congress would do the same.

While school finance is complex and contentious, here’s an overall summary of legislative action. (Thanks to Becca Stark at MDE for confirming and clarify these figures)

• Minnesota’s overall K-12 budget for the next two years is $13.79 billion, an overall two-year increase of about 5.8%
• The basic per pupil amount for an elementary student increased from $4,783 to $4,974 next year and $ 5,075 the following year.
• The Minnesota Legislature allocated almost $692 million in “ regular” special education funding for next school year, and just over $739 million for the following year.
• An additional $116.6 million will be available cover “excess” special ed costs in the 2008 school year, and $124.395 million for the 2009 school year.

Educators, like the rest of us, welcome more money. The Legislature established a School Finance Commission to make recommendations about funding. I think it’s safe to say that this Commission will recommend more money. That’s fine, so long as the money is spent in ways that research shows have a positive impact.

More money won’t solve all the problems In the 1980s, Gov. Rudy Perpich recognized this, advocating for both more dollars for education and now popular reforms like Post Secondary Options and open enrollment.

A single column can’t fully explain a bill of more than 150 pages. But the Legislature and governor should get credit for targeting hundreds of millions of dollars to districts all over the state, to help students with special needs.

Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher and administrator, directs the Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Before comparing special education rates in districts like Lakeville, Little Falls and Minneapolis, I wondered what this year’s Minnesota Legislator was trying to accomplish. Now it’s clear. Legislators were responding to a clear, widespread concern. And in the process, they provided significantly more money to many districts, than the widely cited 2% increase for next year, and 1% increase the following year.

Hundreds of millions of dollars spread around the state, based on special education enrollments, is an important step toward financial equity. For years, This Minneapolis and St. Paul received millions of dollars of “compensatory education” that most other districts did not receive. That’s because Minneapolis and St. Paul have a much higher percentage of low income, limited English speaking and minority students than most other districts.

However, what has not been widely publicized is that the percentage of students with special needs is very similar in many districts around the state.

For example: eleven percent of Burnsville, Farmington, and Lakeville students are classified as “special education,” according to the Minnesota Department of Education website. In Rosemount, Apple Valley Eagan it’s 14%. That compares with 16% in St. Paul, and 14% in Minneapolis.

So while enrolling a somewhat lower percentage of students with “special needs,” this south suburban districts still have plenty of students who are more expensive to educate than traditional students. (Full disclosure - my wife has been a special education teacher for more than 20 years).

This year’s legislature recognized reality - and in allocating significant new funding for special education services responded wisely to a real need. I wish that Congress would do the same.

Recognizing that school finance is complex and contentious, here are a few facts to consider..

• Minnesota’s overall K-12 budget for the next two years is more than $14 billion * The basic per pupil amount for an elementary student increased from $4,783 to $4,974 and $ 5,075 * The legislature allocated almost $692 million) in “ regular” special education funding for next school year, and just over $739 million for the following year. * Then the legislature allocated an additional $116.6 million to cover “excess” special ed costs in the 2008 school year, and $124.395 million for the 2009 school year.

Educators, like the rest of us, welcome more money. The Legislature established a School Finance Commission to make recommendations about funding. I think it’s safe to say that this Commission will recommend more money for education. That’s fine, so long as the money is spent in ways that research shows have a positive impact.

The answer to every problem is not just more money. In the 1980’s, Governor Rudy Perpich recognized this, advocating for both more dollars for education and now popular reforms like Post Secondary Options and open enrollment.

A single column can’t fully explain a bill of more than 140 pages. But I think the Legislature and Governor should get credit for targeting hundreds of millions of dollars to districts all over the state, to help students with special needs.