Governor Dayton’s Opportunity Agenda for a Better Minnesota invests $2.11 million in Albert Lea Public Schools
The Opportunity Agenda includes a $175 million investment to allow every Minnesota school district that applied to offer free, voluntary preKindergarten
ST. PAUL, MN – Lt. Governor Tina Smith today visited the voluntary preKindergarten program at Halverson Elementary School in Albert Lea. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith secured a historic $25 million investment for free, voluntary preKindergarten in 2016. Thanks to this funding, Albert Lea Public Schools received an $818,000 grant, allowing 100 four-year-olds to attend voluntary preKindergarten for free. Under Governor Dayton’s Opportunity Agenda for a Better Minnesota, Albert Lea Public Schools
would receive $1.8 million during the next two years to continue their preKindergarten program.
“Access to preschool is a proven strategy for closing opportunity gaps and preparing all children for kindergarten and success in school. We can already see the impact of free, voluntary preKindergarten at schools like Halverson Elementary,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “With a $1.65 billion budget surplus, we have a unique opportunity to provide thousands more Minnesota four-year-olds access to quality early learning programs. I urge the Legislature to put our littlest learners at the top of their priority list this session.”
The Governor’s proposal also includes $2.1 million to help Albert Lea Public Schools maintain facilities, improve special education, pay staff, and keep class sizes under control.
Due to funding limitations,
60 percent of school districts and charter schools that applied for preKindergarten grants last year did not receive funding. This year, the Dayton-Smith Administration has proposed a $175 million investment, which would allow every Minnesota school district and charter school that applied to offer free, voluntary preKindergarten. However, Minnesota House Republicans have proposed eliminating free, voluntary preKindergarten – denying an estimated 17,000 children the opportunity to benefit from quality early learning programs in future years.
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Dayton-Smith
(2018-2019)
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GOP Senate
(2018-2019)
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GOP House
(2018-2019)
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Voluntary PreK Funding
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Continues Current Funding
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Continues Current Funding
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-$1.8 million
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Other Education Funding*
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$2.1 million
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$1.8 million
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$3 million
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Total for Albert Lea:
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$2.1 million
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$1.8 million
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$1.2 million
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*This total includes general education funding, special education funding, and pensions.
In addition to expanding voluntary preKindergarten, the Governor’s Opportunity Agenda would continue Minnesota’s popular early learning scholarship grant program – ensuring that our state’s littlest learners and their families can choose the educational opportunities that make the most sense for them. In the past five years, Governor Dayton and Minnesota Legislature have funded more than 26,750 early learning scholarships for preschool students.
Opportunity Agenda Investments in Education
Governor Dayton’s budget proposal,
An Opportunity Agenda for a Better Minnesota, includes key funding for schools and pre-K programs to help every child in Minnesota access educational opportunities, everywhere in our state. Governor Dayton is working to expand voluntary preK, deliver excellent educations for every student, increase child care access and choice, and offer career and college readiness to Minnesotans across our state.
Learn more about Governor Dayton’s proposed investments to grow opportunities for kids and families
here. 