Students, teachers, parents, and the entire community work together to provide an extraordinary education for every student. It is our high-quality programming that the community has come to expect and appreciate. In a recent survey the district received high marks of nearly 100% community satisfaction in the quality of our work. Families select the Becker School District because of the community and the high quality of education each child receives.
This kind of community trust as good stewards of taxpayer dollars is built over time by being responsive, efficient, and effective.
State education funding has not kept pace with inflation for a number of years. This past year alone, that funding gap, left Becker School district with a shortfall of roughly $1,100 per pupil or over $3,000,000. To maintain a balanced budget, the school district has made cuts in the past few years including an approximately $95,000 amount for this current year.
This is not sustainable and cuts will continue if something is not changed. Most school districts have made up for the gap by asking for a voter approved operating levy. Becker School District currently has one approved operating levy. Last spring, the school board unanimously made the decision to ask voters for an operating levy increase.
To be respectful to voters, the district chose a very conservative approach. An example of this is there are 46 questions related to operating levies on the ballots this November. Becker is asking for the 2nd smallest increase per pupil out of the school districts going to public vote for increases. This shows the school board has thought of both the students and the taxpayers in their decision-making process when considering approaching voters for the $110 per pupil increase, which if passes will impact the average homeowner about $3/month.
The second question provides nearly $500,000 to Becker School District and if it passes, will have zero impact (NO INCREASE) on homeowners currently paying taxes.
The state of Minnesota has a large majority of school districts with local operating levies currently. On Nov. 5, more than 30 districts are asking voters to approve building and remodeling projects, and more than 40 more are asking voters to support local operating levies, with Becker being one of those. The operating levy will provide an increase of $110 per student and will generate approximately $330,000 in new revenue for the district.
If the levy is approved, it will provide critical funding to continue the education our community has come to expect. If both questions do not pass it will cost the district over $2 million in funding each year, because of the renewal. Which would result in the need to make significant cuts to programming and staffing.
It will help us to maintain class sizes, expand mental health support, continue with specialist teachers in the elementary, maintain or expand real world work experiences at the middle and high school, provide financial stability.
Our residents have traditionally been very supportive of our schools and our students. Which are at the heart of our community. For that we are very grateful. More information can be found on our website www.isd726.org, or on the district Facebook and Twitter accounts. The public may also attend an information meeting Tues., Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. in the PAC. Please remember to vote Tues., Nov. 5.
