Candidates Running for Seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education on Election Day, Tuesday, 5 November 2024--- with Information also on the Technology Levy Referendum

The following candidates will be running for seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education on Election Day, Tuesday, 5 November 2024.  Following this listing, also be aware of information on the Technology Levy Referendum  

In future articles, I will be making recommendations on these candidates, and on the levy.

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Candidates Running for Seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education

School Board Member at Large

Kim Ellison

Shayla Owodunni

School Board Member District 2

Sharon El-Amin

School Board Member District 4

Adriana Cerrillo

School Board Member District 6

Lara Bergman

Greta Callahan

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Technology Funding Referendum

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On the ballot will also be a technology levy referendum,

explained on the MPS websites as follows  >>>>>

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In this fall’s election, the Minneapolis Public Schools District is asking Minneapolis voters to consider an increase in the amount of dedicated funding for technology by $20 million annually to minimize cuts to other programs and services.

This would not significantly increase the amount of money MPS spends on technology (beyond typical staffing and other cost increases) or add new technology initiatives. 

Levy Information & FAQs

Budgeting for the Future

Frequently Asked Questions

Why an Increase?

This levy increase would be one of MPS’s strategies to deliver on our vision, mission, and commitment to our students in an operationally and fiscally sustainable way.  

Despite recent increases in state funding and budget reductions, the district’s current financial trajectory is not sustainable based on current expenditures and revenues. This is caused by several factors:

1.      Increased costs in major spending areas: salaries, benefits, utilities, transportation, food, contracted services

2.     New and important investments made into key areas like literacy and student safety and well-being without new revenue or reductions to other programs to offset the costs 

3.     Continued significant underfunding of Special Education and English Learner services, especially by the federal government

4.     No substantial changes to the operational structure of the district to adjust for declining student enrollment over the past ten years, which has led to inefficiencies

5.     The primary state general education funding formula has not kept up with inflation over the past 20 years 

Planning for our Financial Future    

MPS is working to stabilize our financial situation in several ways:

·       The tech levy increase

·       Reduced spending

·       Continued advocacy at the state and federal governments

·       Efforts to increase student enrollment

·       Analyzing programmatic and operational changes