November forecast: Minnesota’s K‑12 budget projected to grow; free school meals and special education drive increases

Jenna Hoefer, the nonpartisan fiscal analyst for the Senate Education Finance Committee, briefed members on the November 2024 forecast on Jan. 21 and outlined how the projection affects education finance for the 2026–27 biennium.

Hoefer told the committee that the education‑related all‑funds budget is $27.8 billion for 2026–27, with about $25.5 billion coming from the state general fund. "For the 2026 2027 biennium, the education based budget is $27,800,000,000 with about 92% of that coming from the general fund," she said.

Why it matters: the forecast is the baseline many legislators use when writing the omnibus education finance bill. Hoefer said general education aid and special education aid account for the largest shares of the general fund education budget: approximately $17.2 billion (about 67.4%) for general education aid and $5.8 billion (about 22.6%) for special education in 2026–27.

Key budget points Hoefer gave the committee: -…