The Cambridge-Isanti School District held a public forum in regards to balancing the 2022 fiscal year budget on Wednesday.
The district has cut over 7.5 million dollars over the course of the last two years, with a 57% cut in curriculum and supply budgets as well as removing 90 plus positions. Cambridge-Isanti also ranks in the bottom 7th percentile in per student funding and ranks last in per-student spending in the Mississippi 8.
The district did approach the voters last fall with a referendum for additional funding, but the measure failed. As such, the schools were forced to restructure and cut from expenses with no increase in revenue.
The solution this year would be to focus on being fiscally responsible after COVID and on balancing the 1.7 million dollar deficit as a short term fix while working with committees and researching the best way to move forward.
Cuts that would be targeted this year would include a 4.8% cut in co-curricular, 2.9% in administrative and operations & 1.8% in academics and class size.
The school district plans to present final budget recommendations by April 22nd, with the school having to adopt a balanced budget by June 30th.
