Our Challenges

Like many school districts in Minnesota, Alexandria Public Schools is facing growing financial challenges driven by rising costs and shrinking state funding. The School Board has looked for ways to address the shortfall while reducing the impact on local homeowners.

  • Falling Behind in Funding: For the past 20 years, state funding for public education has failed to keep pace with the rising costs of education.

  • More Demands, Less Support: Meanwhile, new unfunded mandates and rising expectations require districts like ours to do more with far less support.

  • A Growing Deficit: The district is projecting a $4 million general fund shortfall in 2027-28, not including future inflation. The School Board has looked for ways to address the shortfall while reducing the impact on local homeowners.

Young teen working on a math problem.
Student playing on a playground.

Impacts to Student Learning: Without new funding, the district will be forced to make tough decisions that will threaten the quality of education, which could include:

  • Cuts to academics, electives, unique community programming and essential student support services

  • Reducing 15 to 20 staff positions

  • Raising activity fees

  • Significant changes to our neighborhood elementary school model, which would impact students, families and staff. These changes could include:

    • Closing one or more of our neighborhood elementary schools

    • Re-drawing elementary school boundaries, which could change which school students attend

    • Changing how grades are grouped across schools (i.e. a K-2 school and 3-5 school)

    • A mix of the above changes is possible

If the referendum is not approved, district leaders will create a detailed plan to determine where budget reductions will be made.

  • The district has already made $5 million in budget cuts in recent years, while working hard to minimize the impact on student learning. Those reductions included:

    •  Increased class sizes, due to reduced teaching positions across the district

    • Cuts to administrative, paraprofessional, custodial, teaching and support staff

    • Removed the 5th grade orchestra program

    • Restructured the high potential program

    • Reduced technology support

    • Reduced funding for building needs and deferred maintenance

kindergartener doing school activites
Two teenage boys working with a Lego robotics kit in a classroom, one wearing a gray Alexandria Football t-shirt and gray cap, the other in a red hoodie and black cap, with other students and classroom supplies in the background.
kids at the library
Two female students looking at a classroom whiteboard and discussing.
Learn About the Plan