Referendum - Stillwater Area Public Schools ISD 834

Investing in our future

District taxpayers will be asked to renew an expiring operating levy on November 2, 2021, as well as consider new funding to help maintain - and possibly expand - programs for students. Watch for more details to be shared here as they become available.

What Will Be On The Ballot? That's Yet To Be Determined

The school board is currently considering all of its options and will be surveying residents to gather input on what the community might support in the fall. Stay tuned for more information.

Levy Renewal

The current operating levy, which generates more about $12 million in annual funding will expire next year.

Levy Increase

A levy increase would help address the ongoing budget shortfall and ward off future budget cuts. New funding could also help expand programs for kids.

Technology Levy

A technology levy could provide funds for devices, infrastructure and even technology staffing - freeing up thousands of dollars in our general fund to support our students.

Addressing Funding Needs

The school board is discussing several scenarios to place on a ballot in November 2021, with a renewal of an expiring operating levy its top priority. In addition to a renewal, the board may choose to ask voters to provide additional revenue through an operating levy increase and/or a capital projects/technology levy. Learn more about each of these options:

Operating Levy Renewal

Levy Renewal

The current operating levy, which generates about $12 million in annual funding, will expire at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. If a new levy is not approved November 2, 2021, the district will be out that money and would face significant budget cuts for the 2021-2022 school year and beyond.

What The Expiring Levy Pays For?

The current levy has helped to stabilize funding for the past 8 years, allowing us to maintain many of our programs and staff. We’ve also used levy dollars to create several new opportunities for our students - from language immersion to 6th and 9th grade orientation programs.

But A Straight Levy Renewal Isn’t Enough

Even with our current levy in place, the district has had to make budget cuts in 3 of the last 8 years - totaling $7 million. That’s because we rely on state funding to pay our bills, but that funding hasn’t kept pace with inflation. The difference between the state’s annual formula allowance and the inflation adjusted formula allowance is more than $500 per student - the equivalent of nearly $4 million in lost revenue to our schools.

Operating Levy Increase

Capital Projects (Technology Levy)

A capital projects levy allows district to generate additional revenue for technology and capital projects.

The board is considering asking voters to support a capital projects levy specifically for technology. We are one of only a handful of districts in the metro area without a dedicated source of funding for technology. A tech levy would provide funds for devices, infrastructure and even technology staffing - freeing up thousands of dollars in our general fund to support our students.

Addressing Facility Needs

The school board is expected to bring a bond referendum to voters in 2022. Holding off until 2022 allows the district to focus on the operating levy this fall, as well as study space and facility needs, consider boundary adjustments, and watch enrollment trends over the next year. Any projects approved on a 2022 bond referendum would likely be completed during the 2024-2025 school year.

Bond 2022

Bond 2022

As part of a 2020 long-range facilities study, the Community Design Team (CDT) identified numerous needs - the most pressing of which is providing more space for students in the southern part of the district. With significant growth occurring in Lake Elmo and Woodbury, the team recommended replacing the aging Lake Elmo Elementary, adding on to Brookview Elementary and making other improvements to district facilities to address inequity in learning spaces and overcrowding.

COMMUNITY DESIGN TEAM'S RECOMMENDATION