The board’s most issue was the adjustment of elementary attendance areas, driven by growth in the southeastern part of the district. The primary goals included maintaining optimal school sizes between 600 to 800 students, alleviating overcrowding, and preparing for expanded Early Learning Programs. The adjustments are essential to ensure equitable access to resources and consistent curriculum implementation while adhering to state and federal guidelines to avoid creating racially identifiable schools.

Zone One, which pertains to the newly constructed elementary school at the intersection of Arron Avenue and Bon Air Path in Rosemount, was a focal point. This new school will alleviate overcrowding at Rosemount Elementary by redistributing students. The proposal will reduce the student population at Rosemount Elementary from 913 to 493 and balance enrollments at Red Pine and the new elementary school to approximately 635 students each. This adjustment promotes balanced enrollment and considers future community growth.

Zone Two addressed rapid population increases in the southern part of the district, affecting Diamond Path, East Lake, Highland, and Shannon Park schools. Current enrollments show significant disparities, with East Lake housing 913 students, while Shannon Park has only 355. The proposed adjustments aim to balance enrollments closer to the ideal range, redistributing students so that Diamond Path will increase to 578 students, East Lake will drop to 710, Highland will have 662, and Shannon Park will rise to 489. This redistribution fosters equity in staffing, budgets, and student opportunities.

A noteworthy change involves Diamond Path, which will transition away from its magnet school designation. Originally established with an International Studies theme, Diamond Path is not racially identifiable like other magnet schools. The district plans to phase out transportation for students outside the attendance area, allowing intradistrict transfers based on the International Studies theme. This change is expected to reduce transportation costs by an estimated $400,000 to $600,000 annually.

Board members inquired about potential transportation savings and the impact on Early Childhood programming. The adjustments will not necessarily create additional Early Childhood spaces but will allow better allocation of existing resources. For example, at East Lake, two classrooms currently used for K-5 due to overcrowding will revert to Early Childhood use.

The board outlined a communication plan to engage families affected by these changes, which includes district-wide emails, an interactive website, feedback forms, and family information sessions scheduled for October. This feedback will help refine the proposal before seeking final approval in mid-November.

Subsequently, the board discussed the 2024 property tax levy, crucial for the district’s fiscal year 2026 budget. The property tax constitutes approximately 25% of the district’s revenue, with the general fund receiving the largest share at $120 million. The proposed levy was calculated based on a referendum market value of $26.3 billion, an increase of $5.8 billion from the previous year, and an adjusted net tax capacity of $329 million. The median home value in the district was reported at $392,000. The increased tax base aims to distribute the tax impact more evenly across the community.

The board unanimously approved the maximum levy for the upcoming fiscal year after a brief session of questions and comments. This approval allows the proposed levy to be transmitted to the county by the Minnesota Department of Education for compilation.

Another topic was the proposal for the sale of land for constructing a roundabout at Highway 3 and 142nd Street. This roundabout, set for construction in June 2025, aims to alleviate traffic congestion during peak school hours and enhance safety, particularly for Rosemount High School students. The resolution allows the state to purchase a small parcel of land, avoiding the condemnation and eminent domain process. Board members discussed the urgency of avoiding eminent domain and recognized the community’s long-standing traffic safety concerns at that intersection. The resolution was approved, facilitating timely construction during summer months to minimize educational disruption.

In other updates, the superintendent highlighted upcoming events and activities, including absentee and early voting for the general election on November 5, Egan High School’s fall play “Clue,” and homecoming festivities. He also acknowledged the district’s advisory councils and staff dedication in implementing new curricula. The superintendent emphasized the importance of writing skills for students, beyond grammar, to help them process thoughts and organize ideas effectively.

The board also addressed the resignation of Art Coulson and the process for appointing a new member post-election. Legal constraints prevent filling the vacancy during the election cycle due to ballot printing and certification timing.