Bill would add $100 per pupil supplemental aid and include charter schools in new tier

A bill to restructure local option revenue and add a new statewide supplemental aid tier drew support from charter advocates who said the change would partially address long-standing funding inequities between traditional districts and charter public schools.

Representative Baeckberg introduced House File 2,388, which would rename local option revenue as "basic supplemental revenue" and add a first tier that provides $100 in state aid per pupil to all public schools, including charter schools that currently cannot levy. Representative Baeckberg said the measure is a partial step toward addressing funding gaps and noted the bill's estimated cost is about $92 million.

Joey Chenyan of the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools testified in support, saying charter schools serve a high share of low-income students, students of color and English learners and currently miss out on levied revenue that traditional districts receive. Chenyan described the bill as "a step in the right direction" and urged lawmakers to include charters in any increase to local option revenue to reduce inequities.

Representative Baeckberg framed the provision as direct, flexible funding for classrooms; he said $100 per pupil yields concrete classroom impacts (for example, $160,000 in a 1,600-student district, roughly equivalent to two teachers or four paraprofessionals). The committee laid the bill over for possible omnibus inclusion and said further conversations on broader local option revenue reform will continue.

Witness: Joey Chenyan (Minnesota Association of Charter Schools).