Education funding

A teacher from the Bemidji area recently joined the American Federation of Teachers conference in Washington, D.C., as rural Minnesota school districts try to do more with less.

Nett Lake aims to reallocate funds to pay for building improvements, and Fisher is trying to pass an operating levy for the third year in a row.

Superintendents from Bemidji and Red Lake school districts discuss the impact of the U.S. Department of Education's memo to freeze funding for certain Title programs.

Although education spending will increase, school districts will notice cuts to state aid for special education, school libraries and student supports like counselors and nurses.

Plus: the Northland has nine more state champs in golf, track and field after state tournaments.

Public campuses facing tighter budgets hope their outreach can keep low- to middle-income students enrolled.

The proposed measure would help offset the amount of a voter-approved operating levy paid for with local property taxes.

Over three-quarters of Nevis residents rejected the district's ask to expand and renovate its aging school, which is too small for its current enrollment.

District residents approved the 10-year, $9 million levy in a special election Tuesday, April 8, 2025, with 62% of voters saying yes.

The district succeeded in its second attempt to pass building bonds and a capital project levy to renovate and expand its schools and pay for textbooks and technology.