Hopkins Public Schools — Transcript
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) Update
Strong School Start Update
2026-27 School Board Goals Discussion
Weighted Grading Policy Advocacy (Public Comment & Student Board Reports)
Superintendent's Report
Votes (2)
Treasurer's Report
Dissent: None
Moved by Treasurer Hartland [01:54:39] · Seconded by Director Zhou [01:55:01]
Treasurer Hartland presented an updated, more transparent monthly financial report for August 2026, detailing total disbursements of $3,927,298.30. The report highlighted significant spending from the building construction fund and explained that year-to-date expenditure percentages were higher than the previous year due to the transition from Oracle software and more accurate accounting practices that ensure invoices are paid from appropriate restricted funds. Board members commended the new, user-friendly format.
Levy Certification (2026 Payable 2027 Preliminary Tax Levy)
Dissent: No vote was recorded in the provided transcript.
Moved by null · Seconded by null
Assistant Superintendent Lightfoot and Dee Dee Caring presented the preliminary tax levy for 2026 payable 2027, outlining the statutory requirement for certification by September 30th. They explained the recommendation to approve the levy at the maximum amount to maintain flexibility as data is updated. Key changes included an overall 6.6% increase in the levy, with specific increases in the general fund (3.83%), community service fund (106.9% due to prior year adjustments and school-age childcare expenses), and debt service fund (9.09%). Factors influencing the levy included changes in state law, pupil units, market value, and program expenditures like Long-Term Facility Maintenance. The final levy will be approved in December after the Truth in Taxation hearing.
Notable Quotes (4)
I am pretty excited about this because we have been talking about making this report more transparent and more useful for some time now, and I'm really grateful to the district admin and business services team for brainstorming with me, for listening to the board's goals and enabling them with some research and iterating on these reports with me. And so not only does this help us be more transparent and give us more useful information, but we're also hoping to make this report simply be a better use of everyone's time.
And then another thing that is true this year that was less so last year is that our business services and admin team have done just a huge amount of work to, rather than just defaulting paying an invoice from the general fund, we have instead collectively done a huge amount of work to ensure that whenever possible, we are paying an invoice from the appropriate, more restricted fund.
MSBA recommends that school districts approve the proposed levy at the maximum. The data driving the levy calculation can be updated as needed between September and December when the final levy is approved. Approving the proposed maximum level reserves a board's ability to levy at the maximum amount authorized by the state of Minnesota.
Overall increase for the Hopkins School District is a levy of 6.6% increase.
Ordinances & Resolutions (14)
Grants provided by HEF directly to teachers for classroom projects.
Grants provided by HEF for student clubs, typically up to $1,000.
A special appeal project funded by HEF, with components for elementary, middle, and high school students to enhance career readiness.
A special appeal project funded by HEF for outdoor education, including camp trips and equipment purchases.
A special appeal project funded by HEF to enhance computer science curriculum, provide coding tools, and teach ethical AI use.
A district-wide framework guiding professional development and instructional capacity.
State legislation guiding literacy implementation in schools.
A new tool used by leaders to monitor school site improvement plans.
Memorandum of Understanding with the Hopkins Education Association regarding class size parameters.
District policy supporting playground design advisory team meetings for construction projects.
Strategic objectives for the school board, approved and aligned with district framework.
Other Post-Employment Benefits trust funds, for which an RFP for management is being prepared.
A newly launched transportation application for families.
The proposed property tax levy for the next fiscal year, requiring preliminary certification.