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Tom Weber
St. Paul, Minn.

Metro school board members asking GOP to re-think ed. budget

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School board members from across the metro want GOP leaders to re-think the education budget they passed this year that has since been vetoed.

Forty-two school board members signed a letter expressing worries over proposed cuts to special education and integration funding. The letter says the GOP's budget effectively transfers money from those who need attention to those already succeeding.

Natalie Fedie sits on the Stillwater school board and said she's worried that Minneapolis and St. Paul are being cut too much.

"It is not in our best interests to pit district against district," Fedie said. "I am a school board member in Stillwater, but I'm an employee of a local technology firm, who actually is located here in the Twin Cities because of the quality of the workforce."

Anoka-Hennepin board member John Hoffman said proposed cuts to special education, integration revenue, and funding for districts with high poverty will only increase the ongoing achievement gap.

"Please, just go back and sit down and come to a comprise on a balanced solution to Minnesota's budget, which includes seriously looking at the revenue side of it," Hoffman said.

Republican leaders offered this week to boost K-12 spending, but Fedie said that's not enough because the boost would result in cuts elsewhere.