White Bear Lake Area Schools — Transcript
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Lincoln Elementary School Update
Matosska International School Update
Student Outcome Presentation and 2026-2027 Goals
Overview of the Permanent School Fund Constitutional Amendment
Certification for the 2026 Payable 2027 Preliminary Property Tax Levy
Votes (5)
Lincoln Elementary Update
The update covered Lincoln Elementary's academic progress, showcasing significant growth in reading and math across grade levels for the 2025-2026 school year and strong starting points for 2026-2027. Principal Morris elaborated on the 'Explorations' program for gifted students and the unique 'house system' designed to strengthen community and relationships by grouping students and staff into multi-age families. Future action steps include enhancing collaborative inquiry teams, implementing a school-wide vocabulary routine, focusing on discipline-specific instructional methods, and improving family communication through newsletters, events, and surveys.
Matosska International Update
Principal John Linger reported on Matosska International's academic strengths, using FastBridge data to track student progress and highlighting high achievement cohorts. He detailed the success of the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, which is at full kindergarten capacity and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, many of whom are within district boundaries. The school's International Baccalaureate (IB) framework fosters 'Matosska Takes Action' initiatives, encouraging students to make a community difference. A new 'Protect the Paw' behavior system, developed with student input, aims to instill responsibility, engagement, kindness, respect, and safety.
Student Outcome Presentation and 2026-2027 Goals
The presentation covered a wide range of assessment data, including FastBridge for PreK-12+ literacy and math skills, and high school ACT and AP results. It was noted that current first graders exhibit the strongest foundational math and literacy skills in several years, and 80% of high school students taking AP exams achieved scores of 3 or higher, earning college credit. New district goals for 2029 under the Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (KCER) and Achievement and Integration (ANI) frameworks target PreK readiness, significant achievement gap closure, and 80% of graduating seniors earning post-secondary credits. Outcomes for 2026 goals, such as American Indian student graduation rates and college credits for specific student groups, were also reviewed, indicating progress but also areas for continued improvement.
Overview of the Permanent School Fund Constitutional Amendment
Mr. Wald explained the origin and management of Minnesota's Permanent School Fund, a federal land grant endowment for public education. He detailed a task force recommendation, which passed both legislative chambers, to amend the state constitution to increase the annual distribution from the fund. The proposed change would raise the payout from 2.5% of interest/dividends to 4.5% of a three-year rolling average of the fund's value, resulting in an estimated additional $273,848 for White Bear Lake schools in 2027 without impacting income or property taxes. The board was reminded that its role is strictly informational, with no advocacy position.
Certification for the 2026 payable 2027 Preliminary Property Tax Levy
Dissent: Mr. Scar proposed an amendment (not seconded) and voted 'no' on the main motion.
Moved by Daniels [2:26] · Seconded by Strife Oi [2:26]
The presentation outlined the process for approving the preliminary property tax levy, which funds the district's operations, programs, and staffing, typically accounting for 20-25% of the annual budget. Key factors affecting the levy, such as voter-approved referendums, property valuations (determined by county staff), state funding, and student enrollment, were explained. It was noted that the preliminary approval of the maximum levy authority ensures flexibility for statutory updates. Due to property tax growth, a house valued at $400,000 is projected to see a decrease of approximately $14 in school taxes for the next school year. A motion was made and seconded to approve the levy, and an amendment motion by Mr. Scar to make it subject to an operational audit and zero-based budgeting failed due to a lack of second. The original motion then passed.
Notable Quotes (10)
I do want to emphasize um that when I think about the Lincoln mission statement, in a lot of ways to me the safe and respectful environment um is one of the most important parts of the Lincoln uh mission statement.
Collaborative inquiry teams are grade level or um jobalike uh teams of teachers who they're not coming together just to talk about um planning for their students to talk about uh what they're going to be doing in the next week. They're talking about where their students are at based on um observable and collectible data.
I think I mentioned we are the largest elementary school and our families um want this kind of education. Um our mission statement was built by our families and our teachers uh and and some of our students. Um and we really want to become, you know, lifelong learners.
When we began our emerging journey, I was looking through it through through my lens, the adult lens, sort of the rock brain, well-developed, very well-developed, like it's stuck now lens. Um, and our our students are such sponges. They really, really, really soak this up.
Grade one, you'll see some really really strong I know the building principles spoke of this as well, but our uh current first graders have the strongest foundational math and literacy skills that we have for several years that we've pulled the data for.
White Bear Lake Area High School percent of students getting that three, so that's eligible for college credit or higher is 80%. 80%. I just really want to emphasize that. That is incredibly impressive.
When Minnesota was established in 1858, federal land grant created a self-sustaining public school funding source and that funding source was written into the state's constitution.
The task force recommendation to the legislature was to increase the annual distribution of the fund um from 2.5% to 4.5% and to base that on a three-year uh rolling average of the value of the fund.
The funds generated by the levy are used to support our district's operations programs and staffing typically and they typically account for 20 to 25% of our total annual budget.
Because property tax growth outpaced the levy uh amount of 1.3%, a house valued at $400,000 will actually see a decrease of about $14 um next school year.
Ordinances & Resolutions (23)
Previous version of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, not comparable to current MCA4.
Current version of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, measuring new standards.
Skills-based assessment system used PreK-12+ for literacy and math, providing risk level data and informing interventions.
Standardized college readiness assessment offered to all high school students.
Advanced Placement exams, where student performance contributes to college credit eligibility and scholar awards.
Framework from the University of Washington used by all district schools for instructional planning and evaluation.
A historic endowment for education in Minnesota, subject to a proposed constitutional amendment for increased distribution.
Document containing the provisions for the Permanent School Fund, proposed to be amended.
Professional development for educators on the science of reading.
Recently implemented math curriculum for kindergarten through 8th grade, emphasizing discipline-specific instructional approaches.
Statements mailed to property owners informing them of proposed property taxes, based on the preliminary levy.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports, discussed in the context of using FastBridge data for interventions.
District-wide goal area from the Minnesota Department of Education for student readiness and achievement.
District-wide goal area from the Minnesota Department of Education, particularly relevant to racially identifiable schools like Willow Lane.
Accommodation plan for students, included in FastBridge assessment eligibility.
Individualized Education Program accommodation for students, included in FastBridge assessment eligibility.
Awards granted by the College Board to students achieving high scores on multiple AP tests.
Course offerings at the high school providing college credit.
Course offerings at the high school providing career-aligned credit.
Assessment used for high school students, included in achievement gap goals.
Tests to earn bilingual seals, mentioned as a potential future data point for student outcome presentations.
Session where the Permanent School Fund constitutional amendment was debated and approved for public vote.
The initial approval of the property tax levy for the upcoming school year, later finalized in December.