The first question will ask the community to renew an operating levy which provides stability by maintaining current school district programs, services and class size.

The operating levy was initially approved by the community in 2007, and renewed again in 2011 for taxes levied from 2012-2021.

If the operating levy fails, the district will need to begin plans this winter to cut $34.5 million, which is 9.3 percent of the district’s operating budget.Budget cuts would likely result in higher class-sizes and student to staff ratios at all grade levels, reduced opportunities for students, and schedule changes at the secondary grade levels that would eliminate curricular choices.

If question #1 is approved, community members will see no tax increase.

Visit ahschools.us/Question1 for more details and fast facts about the operating levy renewal.

The second question will ask the community to renew a 2011 capital projects levy which provides technology support, tools and resources in Anoka-Hennepin classrooms for all students.

The capital levy was initially approved by the community in 2011 for taxes levied in 2011-2020.

If the capital levy fails, the district would need to begin plans this fall to cut $4.5 million in other areas to continue providing these resources - or no longer provide them.

If question #2 is approved, community members will see no tax increase.

Visit ahschools.us/Question2 for more details and fast facts about the capital projects levy renewal.

The third question on the ballot proposes an operating levy that would target key areas including improving and extending mental health and social-emotional support for students, and academic interventions and support for underachieving students. 

Approval of question three is contingent upon the approval of the renewal of the operating levy in question one.

If the third question is approved, it would ensure that Anoka-Hennepin is able to sustain mental health and academic support for students provided through one-time federal funds that the school district is scheduled to receive to address the negative impact of the pandemic. Currently, the one-time federal funding would only sustain support through the 2022-23 school year.

The tax impact of question three is approximately $10/month for a homeowner with a $250,000 home. (A total of $11 million.) Calculate the estimated tax impact on your property using the tax calculator.

Visit ahschools.us/Question3 for more details and fast facts about the proposed new operating levy.

The operating levy and the capital projects levies are scheduled to expire. Referendum 2021 includes two questions to renew levies to fund operations and technology that would not increase taxes but would extend current funding while supporting student learning. By asking the community to weigh in now, the school district may be able to avoid cutting resources beginning in the summer of 2022 if the community decides that the questions on the ballot are still priorities in the school system.

Anoka-Hennepin voters have weighed in on two special elections in the past ten years.

• In 2011, Anoka-Hennepin asked voters to weigh in on three questions on the ballot.
  • Voters renewed the 2007 operating levy for $1,044 per pupil for the next ten years. This operating levy maintained school district programs and class size.*
  • Voters approved a capital projects levy for $3 million/year for the next 10 years to purchase technology.*
  • Voters declined a third question in 2011 which would have funded inflation at the rate of $260/per pupil for the next ten years.

 *The two questions approved by voters in 2011 are questions one and two in the current 2021 referendum.

• In 2017, Anoka-Hennepin asked voters to weigh in on two questions on the ballot.
  • Voters approved a $249 million Fit for the Future bond referendum to provide classroom space to support enrollment and improve school security. The district added two new elementary schools, removed portable classrooms, made renovations and additions to high schools; media center and other upgrades to schools across the district.
  • Voters approved an operating levy at the rate of $260/per pupil for new elementary schools, building additions and resources to address class size, safety and security across the district. 

No; school districts in the state of Minnesota receive funding based on adjusted pupil unit, which is an average daily enrollment number multiplied by a weighted factor of each grade level. (1.0 for students in kindergarten through grade six, and 1.2 for students in grades seven through 12. 

Preliminary estimates have identified $29 million in classroom instruction reductions, or about 400 teaching positions. Fewer teachers equates to less elective options and larger class sizes at all levels in the district. This would need to be determined through the budget reduction process.

The board is always considering options to minimize tax impact but the fact that education funding continues to fluctuate at the state level makes it difficult to commit beyond the next year.

Since the renewal questions are extending a current tax, if these questions are not approved property owners will realize a reduction in taxes.

Residents may contact the city and county they live in to determine that for their specific property. Each municipality is responsible for their own truth in taxation information, which is collected by the county. Anoka-Hennepin Schools does not have access to that data of each homeowner.

Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF), $10.4 million, were required to be spent by December 2020 and were used on technology, personal protective equipment, child care and staffing to support multiple learning models. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) I funds, $3.3 million, covered additional staff for multiple learning models, personal protective equipment, nursing support and child care. The school district received $700,000 in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funding for technology support. All of these funds have been spent.

ESSER II and ESSER III are to be spent before the fall of 2023. These funds, $44 million, are to support students in response to the pandemic. The school district is using these funds to lower class sizes with an emphasis on students in grades K-3, add intervention support K-12 for students not on track to graduate or below grade level in math and reading, add counseling and social work support, enhance summer school offerings, maintain academic programming for students, create a virtual learning option for students (Anoka-Hennepin Virtual Academy) and provide technology for students. These funds are intended to be used in addition to current school funding.

Question 3 is intended to maintain the academic, social emotional and mental health programming supported by the ESSER II and III funds, $13.4 million, starting in the fall of 2023 and extending for ten more years. Question 3 is not adequate to finance all of the support provided by the federal funds during the 2021 and 2022 school years.  

This is a frequent area considered by some members of the public for budget reductions. Currently, activities are supported by user fees, gate receipts and approximately $4 million in district funds. Without the referendum funding support, this would be another area for consideration in budget reduction, program elimination, and/or fee increases. 

The Fit for the Future referendum and construction plans were scheduled in two phases, with the second phase wrapping up in the 2021-22 school year. All portables within the school district were removed before October 2021.