Minnesota Public Schools Burdened by Tight Budgets

(Adobe Stock via Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen–Minnesota News Connection) – Minnesota’s smaller school districts are preparing for another year of doing more with less and a high school teacher from the Bemidji area said funding challenges have become too common, and as of late, unpredictable.

Joe Gould teaches social studies in Cass Lake and he was in Washington D.C. for conferences led by the American Federation of Teachers. He is also sharing his views about budget constraints with the state’s Congressional delegation. His district only has about 1,000 students and gets most of its funding from the state and local property taxes but federal funding helps cover needs like special education.

Gould said it has been inadequate.

“For a long time now, the federal government has not been living up to its promise for fully funding special education in our schools,” Gould explained. “We really need their support there.”