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.
Building a Better Future, Phase II, builds upon the work already started in Phase I and the district’s new strategic plan. These are the school building improvements that would continue that forward movement. Note: These proposed projects were determined through a multi-year research process that involved students, staff, families and community members.
The majority of construction would be completed in three to four years. A detailed timeline will be shared soon.
Our district has been committed to investing in our school buildings in an equitable manner. Investments by city from 2018 to today, including proposed Building a Better Future, Phase II projects, shows that Brooklyn Park will receive about $2 million more than Maple Grove if voters approve (Maple Grove 41.6% of dollars, Brooklyn Park 42.5% of dollars).
More students are a part of our specialized learning programs. A study determined that additional space is needed to accommodate this growth and any existing spaces need to be adjusted to accommodate unique learning needs. Right now there are many instances where dedicated space doesn’t exist so students are moved from room to room throughout the day. Additionally, spaces created in the 1950s and ‘60s aren’t equipped to handle the unique learning needs of our students.
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.
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.
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