House Education Finance Committee gets underway, lays out goals

Although specific fund appropriations have yet to be discussed, members of the House Education Finance Committee have begun to familiarize themselves with the general funds and procedures that will guide their decision-making throughout the 2017 legislative session.

Aside from rudimentary rules and procedures, committee members stated goals Tuesday they have for the upcoming session. Included is closing the state’s achievement gap, early childhood education, teacher diversity and teacher-empowered programs.

Legislators later heard a presentation from Tim Strom of the nonpartisan House Research Department and Emily Adriaens of the nonpartisan House Fiscal Analysis Department including examples of forecast spreadsheets and an overview of how funding and finance systems work in Minnesota.