Gov. Tim Pawlenty got the last word in the 2007 legislative session, vetoing two major bills that would have had a significant impact on public education in Minnesota, and issuing line-item vetoes of several provisions in the pre-K-12 education bill.

The governor vetoed the statewide health insurance bill, which finally passed both houses of the Legislature after years of concerted effort by Education Minnesota and its members.

The veto maintains the status quo on health insurance for school employees, unless it can be overridden in next year’s legislative session.

Education Minnesota is surveying members to determine what can be done about cost spikes in the meantime.

Pawlenty also said “no” to the tax bill, which would have provided property tax relief and more local government aid.

The governor did approve most of the pre-K-12 education bill, a toughly negotiated legislative compromise that includes the following:

• A 2 percent increase to the school funding formula in the first year of the biennium, and a 1 percent increase in the second year.
• A $329 million increase for special education in the biennium, with an annual growth factor to be re-established later.
• $32.5 million to partially fund statewide all-day, every-day kindergarten over the next two years.
• About $800 million in new money overall, although some of that is one-time funding that will not carry over to the next biennium.

However, Pawlenty vetoed provisions that would have provided:

• $500,000 in the biennium for incentives for teachers to become National Board Certified. Minnesota is one of about 14 states that do not provide financial incentives for this proven program. Education Minnesota had supported this provision.
• $200,000 to fund the Independent Office of Educational Accountability at the University of Minnesota.
• $75,000 for an independent contractor to assist the governor’s task force on education finance.

The higher education bill slows tuition increases and puts new money into the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and University system. The bill:

• Holds tuition increases to 4 percent annually for the next two years.
• Includes a 1 percent performance payment to the higher education system if three of five specified goals are met.
• Develops the Achieve Scholarship program to be awarded to high school students for taking rigorous courses.