Robbinsdale School District Prepares for Deep Cuts

Some school districts across the Twin Cities are facing a budget crunch, including the Robbinsdale School District. Later this month, Robbinsdale Area Schools will submit a new budget for the 2018-19 school year. That budget is expected to include deep cuts.

The Robbinsdale School Board will have to chop $10.6 million for the upcoming school year. A total of $6 million will be sliced from central offices and district services and $3.5 million will be trimmed from the schools, which could include teachers.

“One of the challenges in public education across the board is we have a tendency once you do something one way that’s the way it stays,” said Robbinsdale School Board Chair John Vento.

He added, “Education and the the delivery of education has changed over the last 20 years and we’re really trying to rightsize our administration now and how we deliver those services differently.”

Robbinsdale School District Misses Out on Emergency Aid

According to Vento, school budgets are based on projections, but things can change quickly. For example, Governor Mark Dayton proposed $138 million in one-time emergency aid for dozens of school districts, including $2 million for the Robbinsdale School District. However, no deal could be reached at the state legislature.

Vento also says two charter schools took 100-150 students out of the district system last year. He believes streamlining is necessary, but it will come at a cost.

“There will be some people losing jobs,” Vento said. “There will be job reassignment. That’s one of the things I’ve got to give administration credit on. They have brought every bargaining unit to the table through this process and had those conversations, and those conversations continue today of talking with those units.”

The Robbinsdale School Board is expected to vote on the cuts June 18.