On November 5, 2019, Alexandria School District residents will vote on a request to increase school funding to bridge the district's budget gap and help maintain its academic programs, student support services and class sizes.

The levy would be phased-in over time, as would the tax impact. This allows the district to only ask for what it needs, when it needs it.

The estimated tax impact on the average homeowner ($220,000 value home) is less than $10 per month in year one with a smaller increase of less than $3 per month in year two and again in year three.

Find out your exact tax impact

We have not asked voters to provide additional support for our schools since the 2011 bond for our high school - and the last operating levy request was 15 years ago.

Levies are for learning and bonds are for building

• Operating levies are a legally seperate funding stream that voters can approve to support classrooms and educational programs. 
• Funding for a new school or building can only come in the form of bond dollars.

Yes, however the project funds came from monies designated by the Board for innovation projects, and capital facilities & long-term facilities maintenance (LTFM) dollars allocated for safety and security improvements. Smaller projects like that can be done with existing funding sources - while larger building projects, such as the high school, require voter–approved bonds. The November 5, 2019 ballot request is for operating funds to maintain our academic programs, student support services and class sizes. Operating funds are a legally separate funding stream than bond funds and must be requested from voters separately.

The district worked hard to make reductions that would not directly impact the classroom with the following reductions:

• Reduced one assistant principal position. 
• Reduced one instructional coach position.
• Restructured coordinating responsibilties in the Early Childhood Special Education area.
• Reduction of two transportation routes.
• Reduction in annual technology allocation.
• Reduction in buildings and grounds overtime and use of substitute staff members.
• Reduction in annual facility projects allocation.
• Reduction in annual allocation in activities and an increase in activities fees.
• District office and building level reductions: curriculum, professional development, staffing efficiencies.

If voters do not approve the referendum, the district will need to increase class sizes; cut and/or reduce specialist teachers, such as music, art and science; reduce real world work programs and electives at middle and high school.

If voters approve the referendum the additional monies would help maintain the quality education currently offered - with a focus on class sizes, maintaining our specialist teachers, expanding mental health support for students and maintaining real world work experiences at the middle and/or high school. With a tight budget and inadequate state funding, it's quite likely few if any of those prior cuts will be reinstated, as we seek to be efficient and ensure dollars go as much as possible to the classroom.

The tax impact on homeowners (less than $10 per month for average homeowner in year one, or roughly $117 per year) is different than the per student amount the levy will raise each year ($375 per student in year one), because the tax burden and resulting revenue is spread out over the entire community. Schools are funded through a partnership between the state and federal governments and local taxpayers. Voter-approved operating levies, like this request, are the primary way that school districts get additional revenue to run their schools - something a majority of Minnesota school districts currently have in place, but Alexandria does not. This is the school district's first request for a voter-approved operating levy in 15 years.