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Community review and comment process begins for Phase 2 budget reductions and realignment process

Budget icon(09/24/2024) The process to determine a solution to address a $21 million budget reduction gap facing Anoka-Hennepin Schools took an important step forward with a draft recommendations presented at the Monday, Sept. 23 Anoka-Hennepin School Board Meeting. 

Why it matters: A number of factors converged in early 2024 that led to the need to reduce district expenditures by $26 million. Anoka-Hennepin acted quickly in the spring to plan a two-phased budget reduction and realignment process.

  • Phase 1: $5.1 million in central administration and services were reduced for the 2024-25 budget in an effort to mitigate the impact of additional cuts for the 2025-26 budget.  

  • Phase 2: Review and comment is currently underway with community and staff input prior to a final decision expected in November. 

Go deeper: The elimination of federal pandemic relief funds, higher than budgeted employee contract settlements, the impact of inflation on transportation and other operations, limited new revenue from state and federal sources and new requirements without funding support have developed a need to reduce expenditures by $26 million by the 2025-26 school year.  

The proposal: Anoka-Hennepin Schools has followed School Board direction to provide a reduction plan that cuts away from the classroom, particularly for the district’s youngest learners. The draft budget solution recommendation includes the following parameters:

  • Central services before schools: 53 percent of the reductions impact the district office/central services area, and 47 percent impact at the school level.

  • Two options will be proposed for School Board consideration: 

    • Option 1: $21 million total reduction,

    • Option 2: Make central services/administrative reductions and authorize an operating referendum election in the fall of 2025.

Provide feedback: School Board expectations provide for a process that encourages robust community and staff input prior to approval of the final recommendation. 

View the presentation from the Sept. 23 school board meeting and provide your feedback for school board consideration using this online form.

Attend a community open house meeting: Feedback will be collected and provided to the School Board through a series of public open house meetings at area high schools in addition to the online feedback form.

  • Community Meeting #1: Wednesday, Sept. 25 at Coon Rapids High School
  • Community Meeting #2: Tuesday, October 1 at Andover High School
  • Community Meeting #3: Wednesday, October 2 at Champlin Park High School
  • Community Meeting #4: Tuesday, October 8 at Blaine High School
  • Community Meeting #5: Wednesday, October 9 at Anoka High School 

All sessions will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, with a short presentation at 6:10 p.m. The presentation provided at the community house meeting is similar to presentations provided at the Sept. 23 school board meeting. Interested citizens are encouraged to view the presentation and provide feedback using the form.

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