The Kasson-Mantorville School District is looking for direction in dealing with declining state funding for school programs. They appreciate the support our communities provide to our school district. Donations, volunteers, and partnerships allow us to offer outstanding opportunities to our students and further stretch our budget. Our staff works hard every day to ensure we fulfill our mission to “teach and inspire every student through a commitment to excellence.” While the District is committed to meeting the needs of our students and families, we, like the majority of school districts in the state, can no longer meet our operating expenses without local support. Current projections show that the District is forecasting a budget shortfall in each of the next 10 years. This is the result of declining enrollment, a state funding formula that has not kept up with inflation, ongoing changes to program-specific state aid, and new unfunded state mandates. We are concerned what budget cuts will mean to the quality of our programming and educating our students. Therefore, we need your input to determine how best to respond to this funding shortage. Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey.
There are three ways to participate in the community survey.
Download and print the survey at komets.k12.mn.us. Drop off or mail to Kasson-Mantorville Schools, 101 16th Street NE, Kasson, MN 55944.
Scan the QR code to the right with your smartphone camera, or visit bit.ly/kass-man-survey to complete the survey online.
Call 507.634.1100 to have a survey mailed to you. Drop off or mail to Kasson-Mantorville Schools, 101 16th Street NE, Kasson, MN 55944.
All responses must be submitted online or postmarked by May 29, 2026.
There are two primary types of referendum funding school districts can utilize: Operating Levies and Facility Bonds. In simple terms, levies are for learning, bonds are for building. A Facility Bond is used to pay for major building projects. Much like a home mortgage, a bond is typically financed over an extended period, often 20 years. This financing method was last used in 2014 when voters approved a bond to renovate and expand the elementary school and high school, including building the performing arts center. An Operating Levy helps fund programs and services. These funds support day-to-day operations, such as staffing, educational programming, and student services. Most districts rely on local taxpayers to help fund operations. In fact, 72% of Minnesota school districts, including many of our neighboring school districts, have a voter-approved operating referendum. Kasson Mantorville does not! The last voter-approved operating levy the District had expired in 2014.
School districts receive the majority of their funding from the state. The largest portion of this funding comes from the Basic General Education Formula. The formula has not kept up with inflation, resulting in school districts receiving $1,420 or 19% less per student than they did more than 20 years ago. This is a major reason why school districts across the state are facing significant budget challenges.
Legislation in recent years has added new mandates for school districts including: additional course requirements, paid Family Medical Leave, unemployment, discipline requirements, and mandated support for students with special education needs. All of these requirements cost additional money, which the state is not providing.
The funding the school district receives from both the state and through a local levy is on a per-student basis. The District has been experiencing a decline in students, and that trend is expected to continue in the years ahead. This means less money for the District. While the District can “right-size” staffing and operate fewer class sections due to less students in some instances, other required services including bussing, custodial services, technology support, and educational specialists, etc. still need to remain, yet with less funding to support them.
The goal of the Kasson-Mantorville School District has always been to utilize the funds afforded to the District in the best possible manner to educate all students. To date, we’ve done our best to balance our budget and maintain outstanding programs and services. However, with the current funding forecast, we are projecting a budget shortfall in the years ahead. Without additional local support, reductions will need to be made. The reductions could include:
✔Reducing teaching and support staff positions
✔Increasing class sizes
✔Reducing department and building budgets
✔Eliminate course offerings and co-curricular programs
These reductions will impact the quality of education our students and community have come to expect from our school district. Therefore, the District is exploring asking voters to support an operating levy to provide the needed funding to balance our budget.
