Business & Finance

Investing in our students and our community

The Stillwater Area Public Schools serves nearly 8,400 students and more than 60,000 residents. The district has an annual operating budget of approximately $100 million. The largest percentage of our revenue comes from the state through formulas based on student enrollment.

We work hard to invest our dollars wisely, with the needs of our students and our community at the heart of every decision we make.

Contact

Jenn Feiges
Administrative Assistant to Finance and Operations
feigesj@stillwaterschools.org
651-351-8385

Financial Information

2025-26 Budget

Previous Annual Budgets

Every year the school district must establish its budget. A preliminary budget is set in the summer - many times this occurs before the state legislature has ended its session. This means the preliminary budget is based on the best information available, but often does not include funding formula changes or other impacts from state legislation. At several points during the school year the budget is revised to include the most current information available.

The Stillwater Area Public School's report card from the Minnesota Department of Education provides a detailed look into a number of performance measures for the district.

2024-25 School Year

2023-24 School Year

2022-23 School Year

2021-22 School Year

2020-21 School Year

2019-20 School Year

2018-19 School Year

2017-18 School Year

To view archived budget and finance materials not available here, please contact the finance department at 651-351-8385.

Annual Audit

School districts, charter schools, and educational cooperatives are required to have an annual independent financial audit. The audit and the financial statements included in the audit must be based on Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, the federal Single Audit Act, and the Minnesota Legal Compliance Guide issued by the Office of the State Auditor. Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.77, requires reporting entities to submit audited financial data to the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education and to the Office of the State Auditor.

Most recent audit details (for fiscal year ended June 30, 2024):

ACFR (2023-24)

ACFR (2022-23)

ACFR (2021-22)

ACFR (2020-21)

To view archived materials, please contact the finance department at 651-351-8385.

Levy and Referendums

Taxpayers in the Stillwater Area Public School District have a history of supporting our students and our schools through voter-approved operating referendums.

99% of Minnesota districts have local operating levies in place. With more than a quarter of our funding coming from local property taxes, our district (like others around the state) depend on this local support to operate schools and maintain educational programs from students.

Voter-approved levies

An operating levy provides money above the state allocation to be used for operational expenses such as staff salaries, supplies, heating expenses, transportation and co-curricular programs. These are the funds that it takes to run and operate schools.
A bond raises money that can only be used for new construction or additions to school buildings. These funds cannot be used to run schools.

Annual Levy

The Legislature created non-voter approved levies to help districts fund expenses that are restricted for specific purposes like crime prevention staff and training, health and safety improvements, facility maintenance, Community Education, Early Childhood Family Education, operating capital, or building leases. For some of these purposes, if the district does not levy to the fullest degree, it would lose other state revenue.

Proposed 2024 (Payable 2025) Levy

2021 Levy

Voters approved two levy questions - one to renew and increase an expiring operating levy and the second to provide a technology levy.

Levy 2021 Information

2023 Bond

Voters approved a bond request to replace Lake Elmo and Andersen elementary schools, expand Oak-Land Middle School and improve safety and security district wide and at the high school.

Bond 2023 Information

2015 Bond

Approved $97.5 million bond for new construction and building improvements, including the construction of Brookview Elementary School and new additions at Stillwater Area High School as well as various improvements to other facilities in the district.

Requests for Proposal (RFP)

Request for Proposal (RFP) - Wide Area Network Extension (fiber)

NOTE: This event is a repost of the initial event posted on Tuesday, Jan. 7 due to several changes to the RFP documentation.

Proposals will be received by ISD 834 - Stillwater Area Public Schools, 1875 Greeley Street South, Stillwater, MN 55082 until 2 p.m. local time, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 for the installation of dedicated private fiber segments and/or managed carrier circuits. Proposals must be submitted via the event (25-001) posted on Public Purchase. Proposals received after the time stated will not be considered. Evaluation of proposals will follow receipt. The RFP document is available below as well as via the event on Public Purchase. Fillable appendix files are available on Public Purchase for submission purposes. See Exhibit B for Public Purchase bidder registration information.

Questions relating to this proposal must be submitted no later than 2 p.m. local time, Monday, Jan. 28, 2025 via the Public Purchase event (25-001). Verbal, phone, or emailed questions to any other email address will not be addressed. Responses to all questions will be in the form of an addendum to the RFP to be posted no later than three days following the question deadline. A bidder shall not contact school sites or District departments regarding this proposal – failure to comply will result in rejection of a submitted bid.

General questions related to this RFP may be directed via email to RFx@stillwaterschools.org

TIMELINE

● Request for proposal posted on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
● Bidder questions to the District must be received by 2 p.m. local time Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Submit via event # 25-001 on Public Purchase.
● District response to questions via addendum to be posted within three business days from question deadline.
● Bidders must submit proposal(s) by 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. No exception. Submit via event # 25-001 on Public Purchase.
● Anticipated award by School Board on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

RFP Fiber final

Year End Deadlines

If you know of or suspect fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or violations of laws and regulations involving U.S. Department of Education funds or programs, contact the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Education Hotline.