STMA To Host Forum Wednesday On School Funding

ST. MICHAEL, MN — St. Michael-Albertville School District officials are set to hold a legislative forum Wednesday to discuss the district’s revenues and advocate for equity in school funding.

The forum is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Discovery Elementary School in Buffalo, with officials hoping to exert pressure on lawmakers ahead of the 2022 legislative session.

The district is looking to secure additional funding after it was revealed that Minnesota posted a $7.7 billion surplus in 2021, the largest in the state’s history.

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St. Michael-Albertville Schools officials asked voters in November 2021 to authorize a $7.9 million annual levy for the next decade to fix its finances, but the referendum was rejected. That left the district “almost dead last” of all Minnesota school districts in per-pupil revenue, officials said.

St. Michael-Albertville schools rank 325th out of 327 school districts across Minnesota, with $9,362 in funding for each student, according to the district.

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Officials said the lack of adequate funding is forcing the district to offer fewer advanced classes, world languages and limited art and music programs to students.

The district is hoping to secure additional funding after it was revealed that Minnesota posted a $7.7 billion surplus for 2022-23, the largest in the state’s history.

Despite St. Michael-Albertville Schools’ funding disparity, the district was ranked as the eight-best in Minnesota in 2022 by Niche.