Our Challenges
A growing financial gap driven by three key challenges
A 20-Year State Funding Gap: The state contributes 18.6% less toward general education than it did in 2005 (adjusted for inflation). At the same time, new mandates and rising expectations have required districts like ours to do more with significantly less support.
Below-Average Local Funding: Our district has an operating levy of $224 per student, significantly less than the $1200 state average, and no capital projects levy.
Limited Options: Like many districts, we’ve already made tough decisions to reduce spending. Following an unsuccessful referendum last year, Moorhead Area Public Schools made $4 million in budget cuts, and faces another $5 million in cuts next year without new funding.
The cuts our district made this year were mostly kept out of classrooms. However, we will not be able to avoid impacting education going forward. Major cuts year after year put high-quality education at risk.
How does our district compare to others?
Our district has an operating levy of $224 per student, significantly less than the state average of about $1200, and no capital projects levy. Hover over the charts below to see individual district amounts of voter-approved referendum authority and capital projects for FY 2024-25 (dollar amounts).
Regional School Districts
Like-Sized School Districts
Source: Pay 2024 School Tax Report and MDE Pay 24 Levy Certification
