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One-third of Minnesota schools seek levy approval

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Sep 29, 2011 at 8:27 am

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - About one-third of Minnesota school districts will be going to their voters this fall for approval of an operating levy, the highest number in 10 years.

The Minnesota School Boards Association reports Wednesday that 113 districts have confirmed they will seek operating levies. Fifty-one percent of them are seeking renewals of current levies.

The association says it is still gathering information on districts that will ask voters to pay for buildings and other physical improvements.

The group says there were 101 levy elections in 2007. The previous record was 188 elections in 2001.

Schools have become more reliant on local taxpayers has state per-pupil funding has failed to keep up with inflation since 2003. However, schools did get a $100 per-pupil raise in the past legislative session.