Gov. Walz announces $12 billion education budget proposal

(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Tuesday his education budget proposal which he says would lower the cost of child care for middle-class families, expand tax cuts, and reduce child poverty.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan visited Adams Spanish Immersion Elementary School in St. Paul to announce the first piece of his four-part budget proposal. He says his $12 billion education proposal would be the largest investment in public education in the state’s history.

Gov. Walz says his education plan will provide universal schools meals for students and expand access to special education and mental health resources.

“As a former teacher, coach, and parent, I have made it my mission to make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids to grow up. We have a historic opportunity to take bold action to deliver for Minnesotans, and we’re putting forward a budget that meets the moment,” said Governor Walz. “For a middle-class family with young kids, this budget would cut the cost of child care by thousands. For kids across the state, it will reduce their chances of living in poverty. And for our students, it will provide the single-largest infusion of state funding in history, allowing them to provide every student, in every neighborhood, a world-class education.”

Additionally, the governor’s plan calls for tying school funding to inflation and providing funding for universal school meals. He proposed a 4% increase to the general education funding formula next year and 2% the year after.

His proposal also includes funding to help address mental health support personnel services at schools as well as a new Department of Children, Youth and Families to help provide more support for families and youth.

Walz says his child care plan will allow families making under $200,000 with one child to receive up to $4,000 a year for child care costs. Families with two children could receive up to $8,000, and families with three children could receive up to $10,500. He also proposed expansion of child care tax credits and expanded pre-K for another 25,000 eligible kids.

The governor is expected to introduce the other parts of his budget proposal in the next week.

View the proposal below