[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Brooklyn Center Schools now 0 for 6

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Brooklyn Center Schools now 0 for 6
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1221193884.shtml


   Independent School District 286, second smallest in the metro area
   last I looked, tried and failed to get a levy referendum passed, the
   sixth such attempt in three years. It was the smallest amount
   requested to date, about $60 per household, conducted as part of the
   Primary election, and it still failed. Since they have been in
   Statutory Operating Debt for some time now, they can try more often
   and at other times than November.
   I should note that while we live within District 281, we used Open
   Enrollment to transfer to 286. We were somewhat unhappy with 281, but
   mostly we liked the idea of a small district like this. Both of our
   children are 286 graduates, the younger having done the full K-12
   there. I'd also like to point out that neither needed remedial work in
   college. We were very pleased, even if money clearly did limit some of
   the possibilities. In some ways, that has been a strength, keeping
   them focused on the basics.
   Trouble is, having talked to Superintendent Lester and other staff
   since then, money is really getting tight. Lester has been very
   resourceful, obtaining grants and donations here and there, but now he
   faces another round of budget cuts unless our Legislators can throw
   him an earmark, which seems unlikely.
   No, sooner or later, District 286 is probably going to have to be
   consolidated into another district, which some parents seem to want.
   They assume it would be with Anoka-Hennepin, District 11, which
   already has the highest enrollment in Minnesota. Instead of north,
   however, it could be to the west, with Robbinsdale, District 281. Or,
   perhaps a portion of these two large districts could be merged into
   286.
   None of that would really solve the long term problem, though.
   District 281 has its own financial crisis. Even District 11 is has
   already recently experienced declining enrollment, levy failures,
   budget cuts, and staff layoffs.
   Will the Legislature ride to the rescue with the $1.7 billion tax
   increase P.S. Minnesota seeks in the 2009 session? Even if it did
   that, the money would soon be absorbed, like every prior such attempt
   from the Minnesota Miracle to Gov. Ventura's Big Plan. I hate to say
   it, having met so many nice people in K-12 education, but it's an
   undeniable empirical fact that there is no amount of money the
   Districts cannot spend.
   No, sooner or later, the elephant in the room has to be confronted:
   Education Minnesota. The first battles may have to be in the smaller
   districts like 286.