School districts, like students, need to score at least 70 percent under a budgeting proposal offered by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and House Republicans. But that plan would have minimal impact on ISD 831 in Forest Lake. Republicans propose requiring school districts to spend at least 70 percent of their funding directly on classroom instruction. Sixty-seven school districts ó Anoka-Hennepin at 72.9 percent, Burnsville at 71.8 percent, for example ó already meet or exceed the proposed 70 percent classroom spending cutoff. Forest Lake is at 69.9 percent, according to state figures. School districts failing to hit the mark would need to adopt a three-year plan and report missing the cutoff to the public. Republicans previously attempted to pass a 65 percent minimum classroom instructional mark, but were unsuccessful. The Republican proposal has its critics." I donít think itís a good idea,î said Grace Schwab, governmental relations director for the Minnesota School Boards Association. ó T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605