Commentary: Strong Communities, Schools Go Hand-In-Hand

Press release from the Shakopee Public Schools:

June 24, 2021

A thriving public school district is the result of a strong partnership with the community. In fact, our public schools are the community’s schools. Our school board serves on behalf of the community.

Many different studies show that strong communities and strong public schools go hand-in-hand. The benefits of a strong school system include attracting businesses to a community, maintaining and increasing property values, providing a qualified workforce, lowering crime rates, and expanding service and partnership opportunities between students, schools and the community. These studies also show such benefits apply to all members of a community, not just those with school-aged children.

As is typical of school boards for public schools, there is a continuous progression of important decisions to be made on behalf of the community. On July 19, our school board is expected to make a decision about the next step in tackling the ongoing structural deficit facing our district. Continual community conversations are especially helpful in preparing to make such an important decision.

After $7.5 million in budget cuts, there is still persistent underfunding from the state which projects a small budget deficit in our 2022-23 school year, and then progressively bigger deficits in the school years that follow. Our educators continually push boundaries and work to provide an engaging and supportive experience regardless of resources or obstacles. Our students are driven and diverse, and have tremendous opportunities in front of them. However, while our educators, students and families continue to be resilient and collaborative, our present district financial situation is not sustainable. We are facing a fork in the road on Shakopee Public Schools education and community journey.

The first path in the fork is to make $3-6 million in additional budget cuts every two to three years. The second path is to generate additional ongoing operating revenue. The only viable way to generate such ongoing revenue is through a voter approved operating levy. It’s important to
note that Shakopee is the only public school district in the Twin Cities metro area that does not currently have a voter-approved operating levy. It’s also important to note that many other public school districts across Minnesota are also currently making the decision to travel down either, or both, of the budget cutting or operating levy pathways.

Listening and continually building relationships with the community has been, and will continue to be, a strong part of our journey. Whether by contacting school board members, attending a school board meeting, participating in district feedback opportunities or connecting as a community, Shakopee will need to work together on truly traveling down the right path, together. Shakopee — this is our community and our schools. We will continue on this journey, together, with one continual focus in mind — our students.

Kristi Peterson is the chair of the Shakopee School Board. Peterson also serves on the finance, community engagement, and citizens’ communications advisory committees. Peterson was elected to the school board in November 2018.

This press release was produced by the Shakopee Public Schools.The views expressed here are the author’s own.