Senate Passes State Budget

Relief from revenue controls, additional funding for class size reductions, and retention of the calendar as a mandatory subject of bargaining are all contained in a budget overwhelmingly adopted by the State Senate.

The negotiated package includes $3.8 million for the SAGE class size reduction program to fund all 57 school districts eligible for the program, and a commitment to cover 25% of all low-income pupils by 2001-2002.

The $37 billion budget sets an inflation adjustment to revenue controls, eliminating the flat $206 per pupil dollar amount. This increases revenue controls to $211 per pupil in 1997-98 and $217 the next school year.

The Senate package also allows school districts to count summer school pupils as 20% of a full time equivalent pupil for purposes of calculating the revenue limits. The Senate also made changes to charter school provisions contained in the Assembly’s version of the budget; and retained the Assembly’s public school choice provisions, and maintained current law for bargaining the school calendar.

WEAC supports the Senate budget package.

The bill now returns to the Assembly where concurrence is expected. The governor has made no promises on vetoes.

Posted September 26, 1997