State Superintendent Janet Barresi to Request $37.7 Million in Supplemental Appropriations

State Superintendent Janet Barresi will request $37.7 million in supplemental funding for this school year to the state Legislature next week to fund the flexible health benefits allowance for education employees, and reforms such as the Reading Sufficiency Act and Achieving Classroom Excellence remediation.

"This request comes on behalf of school superintendents," State Superintendent Janet Barresi. "If approved, can be used by schools this year to help pay for programs that help children learn to read and be fully prepared for end-of-instruction tests."

This will be made to a joint House and Senate Appropriations Committee on January 29. Superintendent Barresi in December submitted a budget request that asked for an increase of $289 million for the FY 2014 school year.

Included in this supplemental appropriations request is:

• $8.5 million to fully fund the flexible health benefits allowance for state educators for the remainder of this fiscal year.
• $6.5 million for the Reading Sufficiency Act
• $15 million to fully fund Achieving Classroom Excellence remediation
• $5.9 million for school formula funding to bring student funding factor up to the level it was at the end of last school year to account for student growth. 
• $1.8 milliion additional funding for the state's Student Longitudinal Data System and technology needs in the State Department of Education to help in fully implementing reforms.