The legislature wrapped up its 2018 session early this morning, failing to agree on ways to ease financial strains on the health system, K-12 education and the affordable housing market.

Cash-strapped cities and towns will receive an economic boost to aid local commerce — lawmakers packed a $1 billion economic development bill with aid to municipalities for projects like seaport harbor dredging, business development, upgrades to tourist facilities and technical education. $250 million, about a quarter of the allotment, would go to MassWorks jobs training, which gives grants to municipalities and other entities to help build the workforce.

House and Senate negotiators have been locked in a struggle over how to increase the four main funding categories needed to fully provide for school districts. School districts will continue to be underfunded for at least another year after negotiations between Democratic leaders broke down on the last day lawmakers will meet until January.

The chambers agreed on adding funds for rising health care costs and for special education programs, but couldn't come to an accord over money for English Language Learners and for the state's poorest students. The Senate dug in its heels over funding for all four categories to address the racial achievement gap.

At the end of the legislative session early this morning, neither chamber prevailed and lawmakers went home without a finished bill. Education reform groups say the Legislature's inaction shows that lawmakers don't understand the urgency of the problem.

Beacon Hill's session began with a promise that the work done by lawmakers would justify the steep pay raises they voted for themselves before they even considered any legislation.

Rewriting the marijuana law, increasing the minimum wage, enacting family leave, and overhauling the criminal justice system were signal accomplishments. But many of the issues leaders promised action on — health care, clean energy, education, and addiction — were pushed until the very last minute and either failed to pass or resulted in underwhelming compromises.

"We enacted some very important bills and I think we left some issues on the table and I think that's unfortunate, but that's what happens when you have this kind of a logjam at the end of a session,” Senate Republican Leader Bruce Tarr said. “It’s inevitable that you're not going to get to the point that you hope to get.”

Tension between the fiscally conservative House and the decidedly progressive Senate — both dominated by Democrats — was a constant, bogging down compromise.

After months of talks, legislative leaders couldn't get a healthcare bill through to Gov. Baker before lawmakers broke for recess.

The Senate's plan tried to keep cheaper community hospitals competitive by raising how much they can charge. The House went another way and included a one-time fee for insurers and large hospital chains in order to prop up the community hospitals.

Negotiations went all the way to the end of the session, but the Democrats couldn't get on the same page.