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Inver Grove Heights Schools (ISD 199) is in the process of finalizing its budget for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. We have been monitoring the Minnesota Legislative Session and news coming from the federal government, and we understand it is likely that we will need to adjust for cuts in federal funding and reductions in state aid for required programs. However, we are in a much better position to keep cuts away from students thanks to our voters.
Our current budget for next school year is based on information we have received about likely federal and state funding changes. Based on those changes, we project a budget deficit of about $580,000. Our goal is to create a budget that addresses our referendum promises and that is sustainable moving forward. To do so, we plan to make the following adjustments:
- Class size and school-based services: No adjustments
- Annual right-sizing adjustments: -17,000
- Fine arts opportunities: No adjustments
- Activities and athletics: No adjustments
- District-level reductions: -$405,415
- Remaining deficit: $157,000
These adjustments are based on preliminary news about state and federal funding as well as conversations with representatives. The information has given us a chance to create different scenarios and best prepare ahead of the legislative session’s end. However, the remaining deficit will be addressed once the session ends and we get a clearer idea of state requirements and funding for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.
The areas with no adjustments were part of our 2024 Referendum conversation. Adjustments to our fine arts, activities, and athletics opportunities were discussed as a possibility if the 2024 referendum failed. To honor our voters’ support, we will not make adjustments to these programs. Class size and school-based services have not been adjusted outside of our annual right-sizing process. Local levy dollars, approved by voters, will be earmarked for the referendum promise of maintaining class sizes. We will fulfill this promise to the extent that we can control.
As a reminder, ISD 199 follows a right-sizing process every year when creating its budget. Right-sizing means we match staffing to projected enrollment and student needs. We are projecting a slight decrease in enrollment for next school year, with more seniors graduating this summer than potential kindergarten students enrolling this fall. So we will slightly decrease staffing to match enrollment numbers. Right-sizing additions and reductions were made to strategically place staffing based on the needs of our students for 2025-2026. Our right-sizing process helps us live within our means while providing quality education to our students.
Right-sizing allows us to control the budget where we can. However, school districts are required to provide certain programs with little or no financial support from the state or federal government that creates the requirement. When federal or state funding is cut, the school district has no choice but to use more of the limited dollars in its general education fund to support those required programs. This leaves less, if any, funds for the district to respond to the unique needs of our ISD 199 students.
We expect the 2025-2026 budget to be a difficult one. However, thanks to our community, we are in a much better budget position than most Minnesota school districts. Without voter support, we would have been facing nearly $3 million in cuts. Receiving voter approval on our operating levy increase last November means we will have a better chance of keeping reductions away from students. Thank you to our community. Your support makes a difference.