The Plan
Our Opportunity: The Patriot Vision Plan
Pequot Lakes Public Schools ranks near the bottom of Minnesota school districts in per-student funding from the state.
To help keep our schools strong, the school board is asking voters to consider an operating levy this November that would generate about $500,000 in new revenue for day-to-day school needs, equal to about $1,160 per student.
Thanks to a new state program supported by our local legislators, close to half of this new levy would be paid by the state rather than local property owners. This is a special program designed to level the playing field for districts with a high amount of seasonal recreational property, like cabins and lake homes.
What the operating levy would support:
Reading and math help, so students don’t fall behind
Career, technical and trades education, robotics and band
Current classroom instruction, staff and extracurricular programs
A more stable, long-term source of school funding
If voters approve the operating levy:
The district qualifies for new state aid. About half of the operating levy would be paid by the state.
The school board will reduce existing local levies, lowering local school property taxes for home and business owners.
Students and taxpayers benefit. The district receives about $500,000 in new annual revenue, while school-related property taxes for district homeowners and business properties decrease.
This plan is designed to protect and strengthen the high-quality education our students expect and deserve, while helping ensure they continue to receive the support they need no matter what happens with future state funding.