By Roger .Graff, Supt of Schools and
Cate Keohne, K-12 Principal
On November 5th, the voters of the Adrian School District will be asked to vote on two questions to renew and then increase our current operating referendum. Our current operating levy was approved 10 years ago and is set to expire after this year. Question #1 is asking our residents to re-authorize that dollar amount. If voters approve question number one, they can then vote on approval of question #2, which is an increase in funding that the district feels is necessary to help care for our facilities and provide up-to-date technology for our students.
It is never easy for a governing body like the Board of Education to ask voters to consider raising their taxes. Yet at the end of the day, the School Board is responsible for providing a quality education to the students of ISD #511. They have the difficult task of budget oversight and must consider how to make up the funding shortfall that all schools in Minnesota face. As a result, the Board approved a Special Election to vote on a referendum levy to provide the additional revenue the District will need over the next ten years. This is an important vote for our community, school and kids.
The upcoming special election has generated some differing opinions about the referendum vote. Some express support and others express disapproval.
In support, one individual said that they would vote for the referendum because they believe that keeping a strong school helps maintain property values and preserves a community identity. Another supporter mentioned that the value of a good education is far greater than what it costs to provide. Still another explained voters in another district approved a referendum to support their grandkids’ education, and even though they had no children or grandchildren in this district, they believed it was their responsibility to support the local referendum because voters in another district approved a referendum to make sure their grandchildren are getting a quality education.
On the opposite side, it has been stated we pay too much in taxes. That is hard to disagree with; most people don’t like the idea of paying taxes. Supporters would counter by saying, a school tax is a local tax and it directly benefits the students who are our most important local resource. Another said that the local economy is bad so the school needs to tighten its belt and learn how to get by with less. Less, in this context, means going without the additional revenue from a voter-approved referendum.
If the school had to get by with less revenue, what would that look like?
There are several typical measures a school may have to take when there is not adequate revenue to operate, including cutting educational staff (teachers, paras, administration, office and custodial staff) to make larger class sizes or eliminate electives, reducing teacher pay or benefits, eliminate extra-curricular activities, or postpone facilities repairs and improvements. The impact of any of these options is detrimental to students and their learning. The reduction of elementary teachers could result in class sizes that are in the 30’s or higher Reduction of electives such as industrial arts (shop), FACS (home economics), art, music or business classes could put students at a disadvantage in their preparation for post-secondary education. It could also result in missed opportunities for scholarships or career options. If teachers’ salaries and benefits are not competitive, the district is in jeopardy of losing our skilled teachers and not being able to attract new teachers to the District. In an age where there is a nationwide teacher shortage, we must remain competitive.
While we are doing our best to project the needs of the district in the next ten years, we face the fact that funding from the state has not kept up with the inflation levels. This is an issue for all schools in Minnesota and the reason why most schools across the state have operating referendums.
The other reality we face is over the past decade our resident student count has decreased by 100 students which equates to loss in local referendum revenue and state aid estimated at $700,000 annually. The renewal and increase of the referendum will help replace the loss in revenue we have experienced form our declining resident student enrollment and allow the district to keep our current programming intact. It will also give us additional funds to maintain our facilities and provide up-to-date technology for our students.
One final thing to keep in mind, is our building bond/levy for the elementary school and high school gym will be coming off of our tax assessments in 2021. A building bond taxes every acre of farmland, and taxes the value of commercial and residential property. The operating referendum is different in that it taxes commercial and residential property values and for farmers it taxes only 1 acre, the house and garage. All other agricultural land is exempt from this levy in Questions 1 and 2. For those living in town, the property value of your home and/or business is taxed for this operating levy.
The voters of ISD 511 have an important choice to make on November 5, 2019, that will impact the future of the school. Voting will take place at Adrian City Hall from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. We encourage all school district residents to get out and vote.
