County Attorney Dismisses Allegations Against Roseville School Board, District 623

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has dismissed allegations by former Roseville Mayor John Kysylyczyn that District 623 and school board improperly used employees and resources for political purposes.

“The county attorney’s office has concluded that the actions of the district do not violate state law,” Chairwoman Lisa Edstrom reported at the Board’s first meeting of the school year Thursday.

“Likewise our attorneys have concluded that the activities about which Mr. Kysylyczyn has complained do not constitute a violation of state law or district policy,” Edstrom added.

Kysylyczyn, whose children are enrolled in the district, issued the charges at the Board’s June 14 meeting. He claimed that district employees and board members were improperly involved in the development and distribution of a communiqué to parents.

In other action, the board reviewed the impact of the new state education law on Roseville Area Schools. The legislature’s decision to delay 40 percent of state aid to local districts—an increase from the current 30 percent – will reduce the district’s cash flow by approximately $4 million, according to Barbara Anderson, assistant director of budget and financing for the district.

Other changes that will impact the district include:

• A funding increase of $50 per student each year of the biennium, which will be used primarily to cover the cost of borrowing money to cover the cost of the funding delay;
• A waiver of a requirement to spend at least 2 percent of general education revenue on teacher staff development has been extended through 2012-13, giving districts more flexibility.  Requirements pertaining to spending on counselors and other support staff have been eliminated;
• A literacy incentive rewards districts for reaching proficiency goals in third-grade literacy;
• The elimination of the current integration program and establishment of a task force to recommend ways to repurpose integration revenue;
• The elimination of the Jan. 15 deadline for teacher contract settlement.

The school board will consider these changes when adopting is final revised budget in January 2012, Anderson said. The district does not finalize its budget until teacher and other employee contracts are settled.