YES: Voters Believed in Osseo Area Schools
Voters Supported and Approved Both Phase I (2022) and Phase II (2023) on Election Days
Thanks to you, we can ensure stability in our classrooms as well as assist in the growth of our communities. The passing of both phases of the referendum will bring benefits to students, families, staff and community for years to come. Take a peek at all that we are able to do with the gracious gifts to learning, technology and safety in our schools.
Phase I: The Future is in Our Classrooms (Learning and Technology Needs)
Question 1: Passed 54.42% yes to 45.58% no
Question 2: Passed 50.21% yes to 49.79% no
Operating levy, which pays for day-to-day learning and instructional needs. Funding will also continue and expand:
- Individualized learning, which is adapting teaching
strategies to align with each scholar’s learning style. - Academic interventions, which provides additional
help to scholars who are struggling with math
and/or reading. - Student mental health needs, which helps scholars
learn to get along with others. These supports are
critical to success in school, life and work, and research
shows that their presence enhances academic
performance and reduces classroom disruptions.
Technology levy, which pays for classroom learning technology, infrastructure systems and needed support staff. Funding will additionally prioritize:
- School safety and security technology, which
includes cybersecurity assessments and systems as
well as building security, including cameras, door
lock systems, visitor management, and emergency
response structures. - Tools and systems for all scholars, which ensures
that all learners have the same digital technology and
software – across grade levels and discipline areas – to
be successful in their learning. - Digital learning spaces at schools, which are flexible
areas where teachers and scholars are able to adapt
the environment to their technology needs to better
teach and learn, and more easily collaborate in small
or large groups.
Phase II: Equip Students for Tomorrow (School Building Needs)
Passed 61.36% yes to 38.64% no
(unofficial results = 7,415 yes votes, 4,669 no votes)
The bond addressed critical school building needs, expanding on efforts already made in Phase I and will continues strategic plan work. The priorities and funding will also continue for:
- Adding additional safety and security enhancements to all schools.
- Adding safe and secure entrances to Maple Grove, Osseo and Park Center Senior High Schools.
- Expanding and modernizing career and technical education spaces at Maple Grove, Osseo and Park Center Senior High Schools and the Osseo Area Learning Center.
- Expanding and modernizing science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) spaces at magnet schools.
- Updating classrooms at all schools to accommodate varied learning needs, including the specialized services of special education, gifted/talented and multilingual learners.
- Updating classrooms and common areas with new furniture and flexible learning spaces at all schools.
- Modernizing library media centers to be more resourceful and accommodating to teaching and learning needs at all schools.
- Adding an outdoor classroom to elementary and middle schools currently without such a space.
- Repurposing an existing elementary school to meet Community Education programming needs, including early childhood learning, adult basic education and enrichment opportunities birth through adult.
- Adding classrooms and a larger cafeteria at Maple Grove Senior High School.
- Adding an elementary school in northwest Maple Grove.
If approved by voters, the tax increase would be less than $7/month for the average-value home in our district ($300,000). Use the tax calculator page to find out the impact to you.
- Projects to improve safety/security would not proceed.
- Crowded conditions and large class sizes would continue. Attendance boundary adjustments would be required at all levels to provide relief, which is estimated to move 6,000 students from their current schools.
- Learning spaces would continue to age and become less relevant.
- Inconsistent learning experiences would continue.
- Budget cuts would be required. Projected to be at least $31 million (approx. 300 jobs).
If approved by voters, the Phase II plan would enable the district to have similarly-sized classes throughout the district, especially for our elementary classes and core class at middle and high schools like English, math and science. In other words classes that are reaching the higher end of the class size targets will not be hitting these limits quite so much.
Rapid growth and development in the northwest corner of our district has caused growing pains in schools around that area. Building a new school in the geographical area that needs it would ultimately reduce the number of students who would need to move schools to address space shortages.
Yes. The district has owned property in the northwest Maple Grove since 2008. Today, this is the northwest corner of 101st Ave N and Troy Lane.
Enrollment trends were expected to grow when the land was purchased. That expected growth is being seen and experienced in our schools today.
An elementary school can only be constructed at this location if voters approve the Phase II plan.
The district prefers to keep as many students as possible in their existing local schools to minimize the disruptions that moving schools can cause students and families. This is noted in detail in school board policy 810. The Phase II plan would reduce the percentage of students who may need to shift schools by approximately 30%.
82%
GOOD OR EXCELLENT ON THE
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
----------------------------------------
87%
ALL OR MOST SCHOLAR
NEEDS ARE BEING MET
----------------------------------------
84%
ARE PROUD OF OUR SCHOOLS AND
WOULD RECOMMEND THEM TO OTHERS
82%
IMPORTANT FOR DISTRICT SCHOOLS TO HAVE SIMILAR FACILITIES
----------------------------------------
80%
FLEXIBLE CLASSROOM DESIGN IS IMPORTANT FOR LEARNING
----------------------------------------
88%
SCHOLAR ENROLLMENT WILL INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS