Voters approve funding referendums for 3 metro school districts

Multi-million-dollar referendums passed in three metro school districts and school officials explained the money will go toward security enhancements and technology advancements.

“We’re just very grateful and we’re excited to put these funds to use and it’ll impact every scholar in every school,” Cory McIntyre, Osseo Area Schools superintendent, said.

Osseo Area schools will have an extra $50 million in their pocket each year, after voters said yes to two referendums on the ballot.

“That is what it takes with a district of 21,000 students and 3,500 employees. It takes every dollar to make it happen,” McIntyre said.

Starting in the 2023 school year for the next decade, the superintendent said those dollars will fund more mental health resources, update technology and increase and retain school staffing.

“It’s also safety. It’s our physical safety of our schools so secure entrances, cameras and door locks,” McIntyre said.

In the Bloomington school district, millions of dollars will go into security measures like school guard class, which is breach resistance, to keep kids safe.

“We have a lot of first-generation video cameras and communication systems that need to be improved and expanded upon,” Rick Kaufman, Bloomington Public Schools community relations and emergency management executive director, said.

Bloomington Public Schools’ referendum passed bringing an extra $9.8 million into the school district every year starting in 2025.

Kaufman explained the funding will allow the district to enhance safety measures and tap into new technology.

“We spend the money in both technology and school safety and there’s a lot of the technology aspects of school safety that is integrated in addition to educational technology,” he said “We want to continue to be at the forefront of helping our children to be connected in this very global world of learning.”

School officials call it a community investment in every student’s future.

The Eden Prairie school district is also in the same boat.

Voters also said yes to the referendum bringing millions into the school district. According to the ballot, the funding will cover technology improvements and more school buses for the district.