THE NEED

Why an Operating Levy?

Protecting student opportunities while navigating rising costs

Benson Public Schools has worked hard to protect student opportunities while navigating rising costs, declining enrollment, and state funding that hasn’t kept pace with inflation. The District has had to make tough decisions to keep classrooms running which has resulted in more than $1 million in total cuts over the past three years with $300,000 in budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year.

Operating Levy for Learning at a Glance

The proposed operating levy would help Benson:

Recruit and maintain excellent teachers & staff

Preserve student classes, programs and services

Support every learner

Maintain reasonable class sizes

Prepare students for college, military, careers, and life

Sustain high-quality schools despite rising operating costs

State revenue increases don’t keep pace with inflation

The 2024-25 legislative session provided some short-term relief and flexibility for school districts, offering stability in the near term but no long-term solutions.

The state did not provide new, long-term funding in the next two-year budget cycle. And new budget challenges were handed to all Minnesota school districts with reduced funding for:

Free school meals
Transportation of special needs students
Extra learning supports
Mental health and counseling support

Had the allowance increased by the rate of inflation each year since 2003, the 2027 allowance per pupil would be $9,199.
The difference between the FY27 formula allowance per pupil and the inflation adjusted formula allowance is $1,516 or 19.7%.

Like households, school districts are affected by rising costs. When prices increase faster than revenue, the same budget covers less, which affects staffing, programs, and day-to-day operations. Families experiencing higher costs may also have greater needs, which can increase demand for school-based services such as meals and student support.

Over the past three years, Benson has cut more than $1 million from its budget, including $300,000 for this school year.

Legislative Funding Offers Short-Term Stability, Reductions in Future Education Funding

Looking ahead… Budget Forecast

The district does have some savings, but that amount is expected to shrink from $2.1 million to just $105,000 in a few years unless operating revenue increases.