Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius met with educators in Duluth Thursday to talk about the high costs of special education.
A Legislative Auditor's report this week highlighted the burden of special education costs on school districts, urging legislators to put more money into the programs or revise the regulations.
Meeting with Duluth Superintendent Bill Gronseth and teachers administrators there, Cassellius said Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal to legislators would invest $125 million in special education to help pay for some of the unfunded mandates.
The governor also wants to reform some ways schools help provide special education, including cost containment and reducing paperwork for teachers.
"One of the biggest challenges school districts face is the persistent underfunding of mandated special education services, and Duluth is no exception," Cassellius said.