Supt.: Roseville Schools Will Be Open if State Shuts Down

Neither rain, or snow, or a government shutdown will keep Roseville area students from their schools, Superintendent John Thein told the District 623 School Board Tuesday.

Thein said the schools will be open “no matter what,” that they won’t close if Gov. Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature are unable to reach a compromise on the state budget.

“We need to project stability,” Thein said. “We need to let families know that we are going to be here for them. Our staff needs to worry about students, not their paychecks.”

Thein noted that “even if the district receives no funding at all, we have enough reserves to get through summer school.” The district offers one of the largest summer school programs in the state, serving more than 4,000 students. 

In the event of a shutdown, basic K-12 funding is likely to continue, if the past is any indicator, Thein added. The courts will decide what are essential programs, but have continued K-12 funding in past government shutdowns. 

In the worst case scenario, the district would find other funding sources rather than shut down, he added.

A government shutdown that lasts into September is highly unlikely, Thein predicted.  “A lot of political posturing is going on,” he said. “But in September, 850,000 students will go back to school.”

The board approved a $92 million preliminary budget Tuesday, a document that must be approved by June 30, despite the deadlock over the budget at the State Capitol. The budget will be modified later in the year, once state school funding and enrollment are certain.

The district anticipates no increase in per-pupil formula allowance and other revenue sources from the state, Barbara L. Anderson, assistant director for finance and budget for the district told the board. But some costs will be offset by a projected enrollment increase, a one-time federal grant, and increased compensatory revenue (money the district receives for disadvantaged students).

Costs will also be offset by a decrease in premium rates for group medical insurance, as well as the retirement of 16 teachers, Anderson noted.

The district held a public hearing on the proposed budget on May 26. A 53-page document detailing the budget is available at www.isd623.org/publications/documents/BudgetHearing2011.pdf.