The four major education bills made it through the appropriate committees.  The Education finance bills were added to each body's overall and very large Deficit -reduction omnibus bills.  Last night both the House and the Senate passed these bills on their floors.  A conference committee will work out the differences between the two versions.  Whether they can craft a single bill that the governor will sign remains to be seen. 

Education Funding Bills included as a small part of the Overall Deficit-reduction Bills

HF1812 (Carlson) House Deficit-reduction Bill

SF3813 (Cohen) Senate Deficit-reduction Bill

Education Policy Bills

HF 3316 (Mariani) K-12 policy provisions

SF 3001 (Wiger) E-12 policy provisions

The major pressing issue facing our schools is the lack of adequate funding.   Currently in the funding bills, the House has included $51 per pupil of new one-time dollars with an option for schools to make an additional one-time transfer of $51 per pupil from their capitol accounts (if they have these funds available).   The Senate proposes $36 per pupil of ongoing new funding.   This is just one difference that will be worked out in conference committee.  Obviously, our schools need every dollar possible to get through the 2008-09 school year with a minimum of budget reductions.   

To balance the budget and deal with the billion dollar deficit both bodies are using a combination of budget reductions, use of reserve funds and increased revenue from closing some corporate tax loop-holes.  The Senate is being more conservative and thus providing less emergency dollars to education for next year.  The likely political reason for this is that the every member from the House is up for re-election in November and wants to do something for education now.  The Senate has two more years before they face re-election so next year's budget session will be more important in their campaigns.   Thus they are motivated to do less this year and not drain too many resources so that they will have more options next year if the economy does not turn around.