House Approved E-12 Bill Increases Per Pupil Funding for WAPS, Lewiston-Altura

Rep. Gene Pelowski

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KWNO)-An E-12 budget bill that increases per-pupil funding for Winona Area Public Schools and Lewiston-Altura Schools passed the Minnesota House Saturday.  

Winona Area Public Schools would see a per-pupil funding increase of $260 in the Fiscal Year 2022 and $410 in Fiscal Year 2023, and Lewiston-Altura Public Schools would see a per-pupil funding increase of $203 in the Fiscal Year 2022 and $365 in the Fiscal Year 2023, according to the per-pupil funding formula in the legislation.  

“Our bipartisan E-12 education budget delivers on sorely-needed investments to help our schools bounce back from the hardships of the past year,” said Winona DFL Rep. Pelowski, who voted for the bill. “All Minnesota children deserve access to a world-class education, and the per-pupil funding increases that Winona and Lewiston-Altura Public Schools will see, including in the area of special education, will better equip our schools to educate young minds.” 

The bill calls for the largest investment in the state public school system in 15 years.  

“This compromise was a hard-fought win for Minnesota students and families, especially after an unprecedented year of COVID-19,” said House Education Finance Chair Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis). “Despite being the only divided state legislature in the country, House Democrats fended off harmful private school vouchers and secured the strongest state investments in public education in 15 years. We’re making progress in closing the opportunity gap by hiring and retaining more teachers of color and Indigenous teachers to better reflect our student population. Our education budget delivers students and families the tools they need to recover from the pandemic challenges and thrive well into the future.”