Senate Democrats Expand Ed Focus To Counselors, Dual Credit

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Democrats in the Minnesota Senate are expanding their focus on education.

They want to increase school funding for counselors and programs that let high school students earn college credit. That's on top of previous bills to fund statewide preschool and expand the free breakfast program, among others.

Sen. Chuck Wiger chairs the Senate Education Committee. He says he'd like to see the state spend an extra $500 million on education over the next two years.

Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal is also heavy on education. Wiger says several of the Senate bills have bipartisan support.

Budget bills probably won't begin to move through the Legislature until March, following an updated economic forecast. Republicans in charge of the House will produce their own education plan before negotiations begin.