2005 House Bill 4887 ↩

Senate Roll Call 440: Passed

The House-Senate conference report for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2006 school aid budget. This appropriates $12.757 billion in gross spending, compared to $12.467 billion authorized for the previous year. The budget increases the per-pupil foundation grant to schools by $175. (The minimum grant has been $6,700 for three years, and the average is around $7,000.) State funding for Special Education is increased by $59 million, and adult education rises by $1 million. Funding for Intermediate School districts, “Section 20j” subsidies to wealthier districts, and “at risk” student programs are unchanged from the previous year. A “laptop computers for 6th graders” program is reduced but not eliminated. The budget contains just $63 million in General Fund money, down from $165 million the previous year.