MINNEAPOLIS — The Anoka-Hennepin is facing a $21 million budget deficit, which the government blames on many factors.
At a meeting Monday evening, members will choose between major cuts or asking taxpayers to foot the bill through a referendum.
If the board opts for cuts, this will affect more than a hundred teachers and dozens of support staff. Administrators warn that class sizes could increase by as many as five students on average.
One hundred jobs at the head office would also disappear.
Anoka-Hennepin is the largest school district in the state with about 37,000 students, but other districts are also facing financial challenges.
In Minnetonka, the superintendent sent a note to parents warning they would be at a “significant disadvantage.”
The shortage Robbinsdale Area Public Schools could also exceed $20 million.
Matt Shaver of the advocacy group EdAllies Minnesota explained that enrollment numbers have more or less stabilized across the state, and it’s unlikely that state lawmakers will have a surplus on the books again.
One option could be to fund schools based on greatest needs, rather than largest population.
“A student in poverty will require more resources from the state to access an adequate education than a student not living in poverty, or a student in poverty who is learning English,” Shaver said. “In Minnesota, we have an overly complex funding system that does not adequately meet the needs of students.”
With a divided government returning to St. Paul next year, there will likely be some lengthy debates.
Jonas Kaplan
