House passes education finance bill including indexing, READ Act funds and UI sunset; vote 93-41

The Minnesota House voted 93 to 41 to pass House File 2433, the education finance bill, following floor debate that covered formula indexing, READ Act funding, compensatory aid concerns and a contested provision that sunsets unemployment insurance eligibility for hourly school workers after the summer of 2028.

The bill’s supporters said it provides stability and flexibility for districts; opponents warned the unemployment provision and other cuts would hurt hourly school employees, staff retention and some smaller districts. The bill moves to conference committee with outstanding issues, including compensatory aid and negotiations with the Senate and governor.

Representative Joaquin, identified in debate as the bill author, said indexing the general education formula to inflation gives school districts “stability and predictability” and is necessary because prior underinvestment left districts with gaps the state still must close. Joaquin also noted the bill preserves many program baselines and adds the $40,000,000 READ Act allocation for the first biennium.

Representative Joakim (co-chairing negotiations in remarks presented earlier in debate) described House File 2433 as a compromise that preserves major prior-session provisions while adding flexibility districts requested, including a new basic supplemental aid (BSA) account that districts may use more flexibly than prior targeted…