Though lost in the flurry of pre-election news and activity, the Governor’s 2025-26 proposed state budget was released last Friday.
We’re not going to sugar coat it: it’s bad news for schools.
While the Governor’s Transmittal Letter to the legislature tries to paint a rosy picture of “historic investments” in K-12 funding, it proposes policy changes that would provide schools with $200 million LESS than what current law requires.
The proposed changes include:
1) Eliminating “5-year averaging,” which cushions the impact that declining enrollment has on students:
Governor’s Budget Letter:
“Given the need to ensure K-12 funding is sustainable over time, this budget also
proposes sensible, long-overdue changes to the pupil count methodology.”
Translation:
Because the goal is to balance the budget without bringing back the Budget Stabilization Factor, we are going to count less students.
2) Slowing implementation of the new School Finance Act (HB24-1448)
Governor’s Budget Letter:
“This budget proposes to extend the full implementation of the new formula from six years to seven to ensure the fiscal sustainability of implementation while ensuring the new formula is implemented with fidelity to the sponsors’ intentions.”
Translation:
Also, we propose reducing funding for the new School Finance Act, by $100 million over two years.
Here’s the bottom line: If the goal is reducing school funding without resurrecting the B.S. Factor, this budget makes sense.
But the better goal – the right goal – is a school funding system that provides students with the programs, instruction, services and supports they need to succeed. Fortunately, in January, the legislature will be presented with two state-commissioned “Adequacy Studies” for exactly that purpose.
Those studies will provide a blueprint for the investments we need to make in our students, teachers, and schools so that they can accomplish what our laws demand of them.
Let’s get it done.