Dear Parents and Guardians,
St. Francis Area Schools is committed to providing high-quality education that equips each student with the knowledge and skills they need to reach their full potential. We believe that every student has the potential to achieve great things, and we are committed to providing them with the classes, programming and tools they need to succeed.
However, our district faces significant challenges in meeting these goals as funding for education has not kept pace with the educational needs of our students.
As we prepare for the school year, our district is also looking ahead to the November special election, where district voters will be asked to consider a proposed plan that would provide additional funding for our schools. This funding would allow us to:
- Enhance vocational education and trade programming to prepare students for high-demand careers.
- Expand hands-on learning for STEAM programming.
- Provide supplies and materials across all grade levels.
- Ensure access to up-to-date technology.
- Attract and retain quality staff.
Over the past nine years, our district has reduced our budget by $11 million to deal with a budget shortfall due to inadequate state funding.
St. Francis Area Schools receives $1,347 less funding per student than the state average, placing our school district among the region’s lowest for per pupil funding. Over 70% of school districts in Minnesota rely on voter-approved operating levies to provide additional funding to support the day-to-day operations of schools, including curriculum, materials and supplies, student programming and services, and staff compensation. St. Francis Area Schools does not have a voter-approved operating levy. This means we spend hundreds of dollars less per student than area school districts.
On Tuesday, November 7, St. Francis Area School District voters will consider two ballot questions - a 10-year, $325 per student operating levy and a 10-year, $880,000 annual capital projects levy - to increase funding for our district and provide a strong future for our students, staff and schools.
This is an important community decision. We want residents to have the information they need to learn about our challenges, the proposed plan to address them, and the tax impact on local property owners. We encourage you to explore our new website, www.sfStrongFuture.org, for detailed information about the referendum.