The meeting began with an acknowledgment of School Board Recognition Month, where the superintendent expressed gratitude to the board members for their service and presented them with small tokens of appreciation. This was followed by a presentation from Matt Logan, the president of the Rochester Public Schools Foundation, who discussed various grant-funded initiatives aimed at enhancing educational experiences within the district. Projects presented included an elementary school counseling career library, Tang Math resources at Jefferson Elementary, a Braille literacy project at Bishop, and a portable globe initiative at Mayo High School’s planetarium.

The discussion then shifted to the “referendum defeat resolution,” which outlines budget cuts if the Ignite Student Learning referendum fails on November 5, 2024. The proposed budget reductions include the closure of three elementary schools to save approximately $2.34 million. The criteria for selecting which schools to close would include factors like current capacity, geographic location, and the presence of special facilities. This closure could reduce the available spaces for students at the elementary level by roughly 10%.

Another major proposal is to increase class sizes by three students across all grades, which could save about $5.64 million but would necessitate the elimination of approximately 50 full-time teaching positions. Additionally, the resolution proposes reducing central office and non-instructional positions, affecting around 20 full-time equivalent positions, including roles in the superintendent’s cabinet and clerical staff, to save approximately $2.38 million.

The superintendent stressed the importance of communicating the potential consequences of the referendum’s failure to the community, noting that the district has already cut $21 million and eliminated 156 positions since 2021. The superintendent also highlighted the Mayo Clinic’s one-time $10 million contribution, which is not a sustainable solution for future budgets. The financial challenges facing the district were attributed to state funding not keeping pace with inflation over the past two decades, with a graph presented to illustrate this disparity.

The board also discussed the expanded investment in family engagement programs, noting the significant rise in survey responses, with over 5,000 responses collected. The district has also seen an increase in the use of the “Talking Points” communication platform, facilitating better communication between schools and families, with over 2.3 million messages exchanged.

Additional discussions included updates on the “Cape” program, which supports collaboration by empowering caregivers and parents. The program has launched cohorts at Gage Elementary and Willow Creek Middle School, promoting community building and offering sessions in multiple languages. The program aims to create connections between families and staff, emphasizing the importance of understanding educational processes.

The board also addressed changes and initiatives in hiring practices within the district, noting a notable decline in participation in the region’s premier hiring event. This decline has prompted a re-evaluation of outreach strategies to potential candidates.

Furthermore, the meeting included a series of policy updates necessitated by changes in Minnesota law. The policies under consideration included those related to harassment and violence, corporal punishment, the enrollment of non-resident students, and crisis management. The updates aim to align district policies with new statutory provisions and ensure compliance with federal rules.

The meeting concluded with an emphasis on the importance of community engagement regarding educational funding and the potential consequences of a failed referendum. A board member expressed gratitude for the community’s feedback after the last referendum failure and highlighted the need for better communication and transparency moving forward. The board stressed the importance of a stable funding environment, noting that a successful referendum would provide stability for ten years.