Newsletters 2015-16 Focus newsletter, [2] fall | Page 4

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE

PAGE 4

Planning underway to address projected budget
deficit for 2016-17
The planning process to address a projected $7.8 million budget shortfall for the 201617 budget for Anoka Hennepin schools is
underway with a final decision set for Jan. 25,
2016.
Last spring, Anoka-Hennepin joined school
districts from across Minnesota in clearly communicating that a 3 percent increase in the
education funding formula from the legislature was necessary to maintain services at
their current level with no reductions.
Ultimately, the legislature and governor settled on a 2 percent increase in the general
education formula in a special session held in
June, a key contributing factor to the budget
deficit.
It is important to note that the increased
funding only applies to the general education
formula, not the entire district budget. This
factor further reduces the revenue increase to
1.2 percent of the district’s total operating
budget.
At the Sept. 28 School Board meeting,
Michelle Vargas, the district’s chief financial
officer, announced a committee of district
administrators and school principals had been
formed and are working to bring forward a
prioritized list of reductions and adjustments

Superintendent’s Column
cont. from page 1

91 percent of residents rate the quality of
education provided as excellent or good.
This is data that reflects five consecutive
years of improvement. In addition, a
strong majority — 88 percent — also
reported that the district was meeting all
or most student learning needs.
When asked to identify strengths of the
district, residents ranked high quality and
effective teachers, quality education programs and broad curriculum options as
aspects most highly valued. You should
know that your School Board and district
leaders are continually reviewing our programs and investments to ensure we are
both delivering the intended outcomes
while maximizing value for all.
This increasing recognition of quality
and value is met with the news that for the
first time in 15 years, the Anoka-Hennepin
School District will grow in enrollment. A
rebounding economy and a surge in housing starts plays a role in this growth, but
the addition of new students is certainly
another positive factor for our district.

for School Board consideration and discussion
in November. (The list of recommendations
was not yet available at the time this issue of
the Focus was published.) It was anticipated
that the completion of the district audit
and more accurate enrollment information
available later in the fall will provide a more
accurate target for reductions, a number that
could range from $4 to $6 million.
The School Board would be expected to
approve the list of potential reductions at its
December meeting, and that list of options
may be the subject of two to-be-determined
public hearings in January.
Public testimony from these sessions will
be considered as part of the final approval of
reductions. School Board action on the reductions is set for the Jan. 25, 2016 meeting — a
decision Y