Senate earmarks 25% for public schools, stages payroll funding to cover 64-hour pay period

Senator Jude Hauschneider told the Senate that the chamber’s FY2027 budget version would allocate 25% of available resources to the CNMI Public School System (PSS), which he said equates to approximately $25,000,000 based on projected revenues. The amendment seeks to give PSS immediate funds while allowing time to pursue federal education support and internal staffing adjustments.

House Schedule A, as described in the floor presentation, contained $32,333,529 (approximately funding for 38 hours per pay period). "To reach that proposed 64 hours pay period an additional 21,800,000 would need to be identified," the chair said, explaining why the Senate’s approach phases funding: roughly $16,200,000 would be used for the first and second quarters with about $7,000,000 targeted for the third and fourth quarters. The Senate also increased the maximum nonrefundable education tax credit for donations to PSS from $5,000 to $10,000 for FY2027 in its package.

The Senate framed these measures as a pragmatic compromise to maintain teacher payroll and educational services while allowing the school system time to pursue other funding and make internal adjustments.