Columbia Heights School District — Transcript
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
School Board Member Activity Reports
Legislative Action Committee on Compensatory Revenue
Votes (6)
Health Curriculum Update (HealthSmart 6-12)
Moved by Michelle [00:28:46] · Seconded by Jenna [00:28:56]
The board discussed the recommendation to approve HealthSmart as the health curriculum for grades 6 through 12. Points raised included the option for families to opt-out, the alignment with the existing elementary HealthSmart curriculum, and the extensive feedback sought from teachers, families, and parents during the selection process. It was noted that this update was a necessity.
Resolution on Population Estimate for Community Education Levy
Moved by Julie [00:37:05] · Seconded by Jenna [00:37:10]
Director Henkkins presented a resolution to certify an increase in population from 27,940 to 28,024, as determined by the state demographer. This certification allows the district to access just over $1,000 in additional revenue for community education components of the levy, including general community education, youth services, adults with disabilities, and youth after-school enrichment programs. It was emphasized that while a small amount, any additional revenue is valuable.
Operating Levy Referendum for Special Election
Moved by Michelle [00:42:30] · Seconded by Laura [00:42:40]
The board considered and approved a resolution to authorize a new operating levy referendum, proposing a $550 per pupil increase with an annual inflation adjustment, to be placed on the November election ballot. Discussion highlighted the extensive deliberation over two work sessions and multiple board meetings, acknowledging the financial strain on the community. Board members stressed that the levy is crucial to replace approximately $2 million of the $3.3 million lost from compensatory aid, but won't cover the entire deficit. They emphasized the need to build long-term stability and reduce reliance on legislative whims, while also acknowledging that even with the levy, further cuts would still be necessary.
Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2027
Moved by Julie [01:06:15] · Seconded by Jenna [01:06:20]
Director Henkkins presented the preliminary budget for the 2026-2027 school year, required for approval before July 1st. Key points included a projected deficit of $350,000 in the unassigned general fund due to $3 million in compensatory aid loss and student enrollment decline, and a total deficit of $1.3 million across the general fund. The overall budget across all funds projects expenses exceeding revenues by $9 million. Despite this, the district expects to remain within its fund balance policy, using accumulated reserves to manage the deficit. Discussions also highlighted the purpose of the fund balance to meet statutory requirements, weather state/federal funding shifts, and avoid needing loans for payroll.
Technology Device Purchases (Staff Devices)
Moved by Michelle [01:23:40] · Seconded by Jessica [01:23:50]
Director Henkkins requested approval for the purchase of staff devices for the upcoming fiscal year, totaling $336,300. This amount significantly exceeds the $175,000 bid law limit but is based on a pre-bid contract. The purchase is part of a five-year replacement cycle for elementary staff devices, which is a "big year" for such expenditures. A 20% increase in cost per device was noted, attributed to factors like tariffs and import costs, despite efforts to find savings. The funding for this purchase comes from the capital projects levy.
Closing Transition Program to Open Enrollment
Moved by Julie [01:33:45] · Seconded by Jenna [01:33:55]
Superintendent Stenpek sought approval to close the Transition Program, a separate school for qualifying IEP students aged 18-22 housed at Columbia Heights High School, to open enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year. The program is at capacity with resident students and previously enrolled students, necessitating space reservation for any new resident students. It was noted that a second classroom added last year was underutilized, leading to a return to a single classroom model. The board affirmed that the program would always be available to resident students and that capacity is closely monitored.
Notable Quotes (12)
I just want to inform families who may have a disagreement with some of the um content of the health um health package um curriculum that they have options to opt out of that curriculum. And so, um, be aware that that is always an option here at Columbia Heights Public Schools and that if you have any questions about that, reach out to your school principal.
I also wanted to point out that um we are updating our curriculum because we have to in this moment, right? And so um it's just time for us to to do that again. update it. Um, so we didn't just choose willy-nilly to upgrade or update our um our curriculum around this. Um, we chose this because we thought it was the best option for a necessity that we have.
To clarify this doesn't change an amount that uh property owners or are paying in. It's just updating the population change.
We looked at historical data as well as current data um to make sure that we were understanding um the needs of our school district. uh you know our community as a whole as well as what we need for our staff and our students. Um and it's a very tight balance especially now where things are so tight for a lot of people. Um and also this will not while this will make a dent in what we lost from compensatory aid. This does not replace compensatory aid entirely and we will not see these funds um for years even now.
It is it it is unfortunate we have to that we have to ask but it would be utterly irresponsible. Yeah. Y well said. Well, well said.
I just want to be very clear that the amount of money um from compensatory um and Julie you talked about what might be coming down the pike for um special education dollars and cuts there um that amount of money to our district um is you know an entire elementary school of teachers that is not so when I say that we can't just cut our way out of this problem or absorbing what the money that we're losing from the state. That that's what we're talking about.
Why do you have a fund balance? Well, we have a fund balance because it's state statute. We're required to, but why do we have a bigger one? It's so that we can weather the whims of our state and federal government. Um, I'll just be very very clear about that. Uh, and that helps. It does not erase any of those changes, but it helps. And also our fund balance won't be this robust because we have to dip into it to pay for other things as things come up.
The other the other main reason for having a fund balance is so that we can pay what we need to pay when we need to pay it. Y um because um it is really not fun. I've been on the board long enough to know that we've had to take out loans to be able to cover payroll because our the payments we the funding we were getting in just didn't come in on the right time.
We saw this year a 20% increase in the cost per device um which is massive. Um we um this came so late this year because I um Corey was our our deputy director of finance was spending a lot of time trying to find different contracts, different ways to slice and dice um the the build of the device to try to save money, which we did save some, but it's still a 20% increase.
So, we're trying to make sure that we're falling within a parameter where it can be a successful device for five years and it's just the realm of where we're at. It's it's just increased so much cost of the um you know import um you know it's just the where these things are made um tariffs um just say the word um has been really hard on the tech sector especially so.
The transition program is really a separate school within Columbia Heights. housed at Columbia Heights High School. Um, and it is for um qualifying students with IEPs and special education programs that are ages 18 and that service terminates on their 22nd birthday.
I just would add to that that these building capacity requests do come in for all of the grades and and other things and it as Superintendent Stick said um we monitor that very closely and there's very there's those guide rails and also there have been plenty of times where we have closed and then opened or opened and then closed so within the school year.
Ordinances & Resolutions (5)
Recommended health curriculum for grades 6 through 12.
Official certification of population increase for community education levy revenue adjustment.
Approval to place a new operating levy question on the November special election ballot.
Annual budget outlining projected revenues and expenditures across various funds.
Approval for the purchase of staff computers as part of a five-year replacement cycle.