Mahnomen School District begins to make cuts

Mahnomen School District Begins to Make Cuts to 2025-26 Programs and Staff in Anticipation of Less Funding

by Sue Gruman Kraft

At the meeting held on Monday, March 17, the Mahnomen School Board made some tough decisions regarding discontinuing and reducing educational programs and positions for the next school year.
During his report, Superintendent Jeff Bisek was very serious with the Mahnomen School Board members regarding the need to be fiscally responsible and make cuts to the budget for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.
Bisek reported that based on the Federal Government’s situation, the Mahnomen School District needed to be conservative in estimates going forward, and be prepared for some cuts financially. The Mahnomen School District usually receives about $2.2 Million in Impact Aid. However, the school district may not get that much going forward.
Bisek also reported that the State of Minnesota’s economic forecast has worsened. Bisek predicted that the state of Minnesota will be looking at either making cuts, or raising taxes. The state doesn’t have extra dollars right now.
Supt. Jeff Bisek presented suggestions for a Resolution Discontinuing and Reducing Educational Programs and Positions for the next school year. He provided a list of potential cuts, and asked the school board to go through and choose which ones they wished to proceed on.
This introduction of a list of cuts was made in response to a resolution passed on December 9, 2024, directing the administration to make recommendations for reductions in programs and positions.
After review, the school board agreed to include the following cuts in its Resolution:
* Eliminate bottled water in teacher lounges.
* Eliminate a part-time Secondary English/Language Arts teacher position (due to retirement).
* Eliminate one full-time substitute teacher position.
* Eliminate three paraprofessional positions.
* Eliminate rollerblading rental for physical education.
* Eliminate Health Office Assistant Position.
* Switch to White Earth Health for Health Office provider services.
* Reduce one district operated bus route.
* Reduce teacher supply budget by 13 percent.
* Eliminate the following after school program positions:
a) High School After School Homework Club.
b) Weight Lifting.
c) Book Club (bring back under A&I if approved and funded).
d) STEAM (bring back under A&I if approved and funded).
* Eliminate Summer STEAM camp (bring back under A&I if approved and funded)
* Eliminate STAR Program (bring back under A&I if approved and funded)
* Reduce summer ALC Credit Recovery to 8-9 days in the summer.
* Reduce after-school ALC Credit Recovery to one day per week, with only one staff member.
It was stated that the above recommendations are warranted given the uncertainty of the state and federal funding sources. Nearly all staff reductions are being done through attrition. Much of the expenditure changes are still undetermined due to employee contract negotiations not yet completed.
All of these reductions will save close to $650,000, but staff negotiations will generate additional expenses. Some programs can be reinstated if the budget allows once funding and other expenditures are determined later this spring and summer. Some staffing adjustments may be needed.
In May, the board can review and approve staffing adjustments and do non-renewals or refer it to the finance committee for June final consideration. These reductions may affect section sizes and elective offerings.

For more from the school board meeting, see the March 27 issue of the Mahnomen Pioneer.