[0:00] After headlines across Minnesota

[0:02] declared record school

funding in 2023,

[0:05] you may be asking yourself,

why are so many school

[0:08] districts making budget cuts

[0:10] and going to voters

for more funding?

[0:13] Here are the top reasons

Minnesota schools

[0:16] are struggling to balance budgets.

[0:19] Number one, inflation.

[0:21] Families aren't the only ones

feeling the impact

[0:24] of rising costs.

[0:25] For school districts,

the costs of labor,

[0:28] health insurance,

property insurance and school

[0:30] bus transportation

continue to rise.

[0:34] The 2023

inflationary increase

[0:36] to the general education

formula is a step forward,

[0:39] but it doesn't make up

for decades of underfunding

[0:42] and failing to keep up with

rising inflationary costs.

[0:47] Number two, unfunded

and underfunded mandates

[0:51] from the state.

[0:52] When it comes to

some of the most

[0:53] costly things

schools have to pay for,

[0:56] it's the state legislature,

[0:57] not the local school board

who makes these decisions.

[1:01] From implementing

new instructional strategies,

[1:04] to increasing

curricular requirements,

[1:06] to providing unemployment

benefits, there are decisions

[1:09] made at the state level that

local districts must follow.

[1:13] While the state may offer

one-time funds

[1:16] to help pay

for some new requirements,

[1:18] the ongoing costs are often

[1:20] the school

district's responsibility.

[1:23] And number three,

[1:24] the changing role of schools

in our communities.

[1:28] The needs of students

are different than they were

[1:30] 10, 20 or 30 plus years ago.

[1:33] From mental health support

for students, specialized

[1:36] learning assistance, family

resources and career programs

[1:40] to help meet workforce

needs, schools have taken on

[1:43] additional responsibilities

to meet

[1:45] the needs of their students

and community.

[1:48] When you add rising

safety needs, aging

[1:51] buildings and technology,

and declining birth rates,

[1:54] it's clear why Minnesota

[1:56] districts struggle

to balance their budgets.

[1:59] School funding is complex,

[2:02] with the majority

[2:03] of funding coming

[2:04] through the state in the form

of general education aid.

[2:07] Schools also receive funds

for specific categories

[2:10] that can only be spent

on certain items.

[2:13] Additional needs are then

covered by property taxes.

[2:18] In other words, just because

the state is providing us

[2:21] with more dollars

doesn't mean

[2:22] we can use those dollars

wherever we like.

[2:25] Each year,

we tackle the challenge

[2:27] of balancing

[2:28] these funding sources

with our increasing expenses

[2:31] to build an effective budget

that meets student needs.

[2:35] When our student needs exceeds

[2:37] state and local funding,

we may seek

[2:39] additional support

through a referendum.

[2:43] As you can see,

there's more to the story

[2:45] beyond headlines of schools

receiving record funding:

[2:48] inflation, unfunded mandates

and a changing role

[2:52] for schools.

[2:54] Funding schools

is an investment

[2:56] in our students, community,

and future.

[2:59] Please reach out

to your elected officials

[3:01] and share your story

[3:03] so they can help

do their part

[3:04] to make sure our students

and our schools are receiving

[3:08] the resources

they need for success.

[3:12] Visit our website to learn more.