Legislature, Judicial, Const. Statewide enrollment figures are projected to be fairly constant over the next several years. Current growth rates of less than one percent will fall to nearly zero by F.Y. 2001. This forecast reduces pupil projections downwards by 1,236 students over the biennium, bringing the average daily membership projection to 852,976 pupils by the 1998-1999 school year. The general education program provides school districts with basic operating funds.
Revenue is allocated to districts based on enrollment and several demographic characteristics.
Student enrollment is expected to stabilize at both state higher education systems. MnSCU's full-year equivalent student enrollment fell by 1 percent from 1996 to 1997, while the University of Minnesota posted an enrollment decline of 2.4 percent. Both systems forecast stable or slightly increasing enrollments during the 1998-1999 biennium. Total tuition revenue in the first year is expected to rise at about the rate of inflation, 2.6 percent for the MnSCU system and 2.7 percent for the University of Minnesota. At the end of session, it was expected that about 900 people in GRH facilities would lose federal supplements, leading to increased state costs.