11+ buildings, 1.7+ million square feet of space and over 350+ acres of land are secured using systems such as Raptor Visitor Management, security cameras, badge/lock devices and more. These critical safety and security items are provided by the Safety & Technology Levy.

If renewed, the Safety & Technology Levy will continue to provide revenue for technology devices, infrastructure and student support. 

Examples include: 

• 1:1 devices that allow each and every student access to real-world learning experiences.
• Use of Canvas, Seesaw and Infinite Campus to monitor and track student progress.
• Communication programs to support over 80 languages in the district and other tools used by educators and staff to enhance student learning.
• Sound, visual and other systems that enhance extra-curricular activities.
• Resources to support digital stewardship and safety.
• Real-life learning opportunities. 

To view the May 2024 Technology Board Presentation and public reports on the current use of funds, please click here. 

A link directly to public reports can be found here.

The final year of revenue from the current levy will be collected in calendar year 2025 for use in the 2025-26 school year. If the Safety & Technology Levy that is on the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot is approved, funding would start in the 2026-27 school year. 

The Safety & Technology Levy is estimated to provide $6,215,800 in annual revenue for the 2026-27 school year. If levy is not successfully renewed, it will create a $6.2 million hole in the district’s annual budget. 

The dedicated revenues that are being used to pay for elements of school safety, technology services, cybersecurity, video security, curriculum/software, etc. will no longer be available. If the district were to lose this funding, there are only three viable paths forward:

✂ The first would be to cut the safety and critical support currently being provided by the levy.

✂ The second would be to keep the safety and critical support in place and make roughly $6.2M in cuts to positions and programming elsewhere in the district.

✂ The third would be a combination of the two approaches.

The Operating Levy approved in 2021 provides funding for educational programs and day-to-day operations of schools, including teachers and staff support. 

Funds provided by a Capital Project Levy are used for maintaining safety and security, providing critical student support and classroom technology, technology systems and infrastructure and related elements.

A district without a capital projects levy will lose dedicated funds for such safety and technological items.

For more information on the 2021 Operating Levy, click here.

The levy renewal will be accomplished with no tax rate increase to property owners as a whole, and no tax rate increase for any specific type of property ownership. If approved, the levy authorization at the current tax rate of 5.837584 percent (net tax capacity of the school district) will fund approximately $6,215,800 the first year of the ten-year renewal (2026-27 school year through the 2035-36 school year). 

Access an online tax calculator provided by PMA Securities, LLC by clicking here.

The precincts and polling places for this election are those precincts and polling places designated by the cities, towns or counties located in whole or in part within the School District for the statewide general election. 

Any eligible voter residing in the School District may vote at said election at the polling places so designated. The polls for said election will be opened at 7:00 a.m. and will close at 8:00 p.m. on November 5, 2024. A voter must be registered to vote to be eligible to vote in this election. An unregistered individual may register to vote at the polling place on election day. 

Visit MNVotes.org for more info.

• Superintendent Mike Redmond was hired November 2018
• Finance & Operations Director Bill Menozzi was hired January 2020
• Instructional Technology Director Bryan Drozd was hired July 2015