Robbinsdale School Board Chair Calls for Fair Teacher Pay Amid Budget Crunch

While facing millions of dollars in budget cuts, the Robbinsdale School Board is asking the community what they’d like to see in the next superintendent.

The district has been without a permanent superintendent since David Engstrom left in September 2023.

Robbinsdale School Board Chair ReNae Bowman told CCX News that the board wants to hear from constituents. She took over board chair duties in early January.

“So as people feel really unheard in today’s world of government, this is people’s opportunity to be heard,” Bowman said. “We are reading this, we are listening.”

The district released a survey to determine which attributes the community would like to see in a potential new hire. It’s available here and is open until Feb. 11.

Robbinsdale Area School District Faces $17 Million in Budget Cuts

Meanwhile, the district is expecting to make $17 million in budget cuts by fiscal year 2025.

“We have things that can happen to us that are deep and ugly setbacks,” she said. “And this is one of those moments here in the Robbinsdale [Area] School District. It’s not pretty. But I’m going to chose to lead from a perspective of we have an opportunity here.”

Bowman says the district needs to keep teacher pay fair while fixing budgetary issues.

“We have to figure out as we rebuild our school district how to be able to pay our staff and retain them through good benefits,” Bowman said. “They can’t be worried about their own personal health and be teaching in front of the classroom … we were known for years for our wages and benefits.”

The Robbinsdale School Board is asking the community what they’d like to see in the next superintendent.

Union teachers in the district are planning to rally against staffing cuts ahead of a closed-session board meeting on Wednesday night. 

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