HF3171 Summary

• Increases general education formula allowance to $5,864 for fiscal year 2015 and implements new funding formulas for special education, charter schools, and various education programs

• Provides $500,000 for recovery program grants and modifies rules for English learner identification, extending the eligibility period from five to six years of enrollment in Minnesota schools

• Creates new funding structures for facilities including joint powers cooperative secondary programs, natural disaster debt service equalization aid, and increases safe schools levy authority from $10 to $15 per pupil unit for intermediate school districts

• Establishes the Crosswinds school as an interdistrict integration magnet program under the Perpich Center for Arts Education with separate general education and special education funding streams

• Increases school lunch aid to 12.5 cents per full-paid and free lunch and 52.5 cents per reduced-price lunch, and requires schools to make lunch available without charge to eligible students