As reported in the last edition of DashBoard, the House finally released and passed its School Aid budget proposal, House Bill 4577, on June 11. The next day, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the three School Aid Budget proposals. The Senate Fiscal Agency, a nonpartisan agency, presented to the committee on the basics of the School Aid Budget and then compared pieces of each of them. We hoped presentations like that could kick off negotiations.

However, last week, the House did not meet, and while the Senate convened, the budget was not on the agenda.  We did start hearing that legislative leadership was beginning to meet. On Wednesday, with another week of sessions ending with no movement, MASB once again joined with other education organizations to call on the Legislature to complete the School Aid budget on time. This memo was sent directly to the Governor, Senate Majority Leader Brinks and Speaker Hall.

The memo called on lawmakers to prioritize the completion of the School Aid budget independent of General Fund budget negotiations. It pointed out that between the two budgets the House has passed and the Senate’s budget, there is agreement on nearly 89% of the School Aid Fund spending. Focus should be given in the coming days to reach 100%. Our students and schools are not a tool or bargaining chip to be leveraged during infrastructure or tax cut negotiations. 

There seems to be some drive to get the School Aid Budget done by July 1, and we’ve been told all legislative leadership and the Governor’s staff are in the room to negotiate this week. This is good news after weeks of inaction. We have a summary document of the three proposals available on our website, and you can also read all of the communications we have sent on the budget.

We urge you to keep up the pressure on your elected officials and ask for the finalization of the School Aid Fund budget immediately and to safeguard it from further erosion.