Q: What did the Bloomington school district do with the technology funding approved as an element of the 1999 Capital Bond Levy referendum?

A: Technology funding from the capital bond referendum achieved these results. That funding now is expired and Bloomington now has no dedicated funding to maintain and extend the benefits of technology in classrooms and management functions.

**Technology improvements for all district schools and worksites was a key element of the 1999 Capital Bond referendum proposal, which was overwhelmingly approved by Bloomington voters. Here is a list of achieved goals:

• Built a fiber network infrastructure that supports network drops in each classroom to access the internet, integrated telephone, TV video distribution, student and district servers for storage and printing services.
• Upgraded student computer labs and administration computers from floppy disk systems to hard drive systems.
• Provided a computer for each teacher to design class materials, keep grades electronically, communicate with parents and track student standards.
• Provided student Vocational/Business labs to support multimedia production and technical programs for students transitioning into the world of work.
• Provided web servers that linked information to the community, and provided instructional data to teachers, parents, administrators and students.
• Provided computers for Media Centers so students can electronically search book and electronic resources, and do research on the internet.
• Provided a computer and projector for classrooms for students and teachers to share presentations.

This equipment is now aging and we need to update systems to meet the changing future needs of students and staff.
For more detail, click here to see the District's 2008-11 Technology Plan.

Q: Why is an operating levy for teaching and learning needed?

A: Over the last decade, Minnesota school districts have faced significant funding challenges and unreliable state funding. For the 2008-09 school year, the Legislature has approved only a 1% increase in general funding, which is not adequate to keep pace with inflationary increases. For Bloomington Public Schools that translates to a $5.2 million deficit for 2009-10. The school board faced two choices: to cut another $5.2 million from the budget, which would severely impact educational programs, increase class sizes, eliminate co-curricular programs, and reduce staff or ask voters for an increase in the taxing authority for the general operating levy.

Q: What is the operating levy for teaching and learning proposal?

A: Approval of the operating levy for teaching and learning will provide $512 per student in new money, or $5.6 million annually to support K-12 education. If approved, the existing amount of $991 per student will be replaced with a $1,503 per student maximum.

Q: Why is a capital projects levy for technology needed?

A: Bloomington Public Schools currently does not have dedicated technology funds. Districts such as Eden Prairie and Minnetonka provide an additional $585 and $578 per student respectively in technology dedicated funds that has made them national leaders for use of classroom technology as an accelerator of learning. The proposed $3 million capital projects levy will significantly enrich classroom instruction, and ensure long-term stability for technology planning and dedicated funding to maintain and replace classroom equipment.

Q: What is the tax effect of the two levies on property owners?

A: If successful the effect of the operating levy for teaching and learning is an annual increase of $123 on a $250,000 home, which is the average home value in Bloomington. However, the operating levy will not be applied to property taxes until the 2009-2010 school year, which is the year in which it takes effect. The capital projects levy for technology, if approved by voters, will result in an annual increase of $62 on the average Bloomington residence beginning in 2008-2009. Combined, the annual increase is $185 for the average home in Bloomington, which takes affect in 2009-2010 when the operating tax levy is applied.

Both levies would continue for 10 years and include inflationary adjustments. Without an inflationary factor, the value of referendum funding would shrink each year.

Q: Why are there two referendum questions? Why not just one? Is there some rational to that or a legal reason?

A: School districts can only levy up to a statutory dollar limit for K-12 operations through voter-approved authority. Currently that cap is $1,503 per student. Most school districts need all of that revenue just to cover operating costs because state funding is not keeping pace with inflation. Therefore, state law allows districts to seek a second referendum levy to cover their technology needs. Placing both questions on the ballot at one time reduces election costs.

Q: Why did the school board wait until after the deadline for a person to declare school board candidacy to make a decision on the referendum? Was the decision delayed to keep an opposition candidate from running against the current school board members?

A: Approaching voters for additional funding is not a question the School Board or Administration takes lightly. The School Board has taken a very fiscally conservative and prudent approach to managing the budget each year. It is why the board waited to make its decision to unanimously approve the referendum resolutions until August. This allowed the district's finance department to analyze the state legislature's final school funding bill and determine the impact of that funding both short and long term.

Q: The District uses comparisons to neighboring districts to the north and west of Bloomington and no comparisons were made to the districts to the south and east. Why? I'm sure you would agree that Bloomington "competes for new families" with Burnsville, Eagan, and other communities to our south and east as well.

A: The neighboring districts to the north and west of Bloomington are more like us - stable or slightly declining student enrollment. The state funding formula strongly favors growing enrollment districts, most of these are to the south and east of Bloomington. Burnsville, our immediate neighbor to the south, is not a growing district, but they must reduce their operating budget by millions of dollars over the next two years because of a failed referendum last year and the fact they will not go out this fall for a referendum due to a lack of support by their community. Lakeville is a growing district, but they, too, failed in their referendum last year, and are seeking voter approval for a referendum this year.

Q: What is the District's Technology Plan for use of the technology that would be funded by the Capital Projects Levy?

A: Technology is critical to achieving the Bloomington Public Schools primary mission of teaching and learning. Click here for more information

Q: What are the priorities and values of the Bloomington Technology Plan?

A: These are the priorities and values that guide the implementation, use, purchase and maintenance of technology resources for Bloomington Public Schools:

• Student achievement
• Enhancement of curriculum, teaching, and learning;
• Effective, streamlined business management process;
• Interoperability of hardware, software, and infrastructure within industry standards;
• Single capture and multiple use of data for decision making and business process;
• Effective application of technology as a tool to communicate with the community, staff, parents and students.
• Create a seamless technology resource between home and school in support of parents and students;
• As a tool to ensure student safety;
• Safeguard community and district (Fiduciary Responsibilities).

Q: I heard the District throws away old computers? Can't they be refurbished and used again?

A: It is illegal to "throw away" computers as is implied or rumored. The District recycles computers by first removing any data, programs or school-related information, then makes them available to families in need through a special program at Valley View Middle School. Other computers are held in storage for replacement parts.

Q: Do we really need all this "technology"? Or, is it just another attempt to have teachers do less in the classroom?

A: Schools nationwide are wrestling with the difficult proposition of preparing a child for a career that hasn't been created yet, especially with outdated and obsolete computers, software and other technology-related components. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 of the 15 fastest growing occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree are computer, science or technology related. Biomedical engineers, data communications analyst, software engineer are terms that may sound strange to those whose more formative years were spent without the Internet or computers. But to the information generation and technologically savvy youth, those terms sound like high-wage, high-skill careers. We have to prepare kids for that future.

Q: Is it true that Bloomington School District pays teachers more than neighboring districts?

A: Bloomington experienced a huge wave of teacher retirements about 10 years ago, and committed to hiring the best and brightest young teachers to work with our students. By deleting the lowest steps of the teacher salary schedule, Bloomington offered one of the highest starting teacher salaries in the state. To remain competitive, other districts followed our strategy. Top pay for teachers in the major southwest metro school districts is comparable.

Our hiring strategy for new teachers has paid off.  In an August 2007 community survey:

• 74% rate our teachers and instructional staff as Excellent or Good.
• 78% rate our quality of education as Excellent or Good.

Q: Perhaps Bloomington Public Schools can solve its financial challenges by selling the land on its campuses and using land sale proceeds to operate the schools?

A: State law requires that land sale proceeds must pay off existing district debt; therefore, only our debt service levy would decrease. The District would then have to lease the land back to operate the school. The resulting increase in our lease levy would exceed the reduction in the debt service levy. The District's financial consultants recommend against this action.

Q: Why didn’t we set the proposed operating referendum levy to go into effect next year, rather than two years from now, to avoid having to cut $900,000 next year?

A: The Community Financial Advisory Committee recognized the District is currently in sound financial condition. CFAC also cautioned against asking residents for referendum revenue before it is necessary to maintain programs.  The capital projects levy is essential to fund technology in 2008-2009.  By delaying the operating levy until 2009-2010, and making expenditure adjustments that are an ongoing part of our financial operations, we can spread the tax impact over two years.

Q: Who can vote in the Bloomington Public Schools referendum on Nov. 6?

A: To vote on the referendum questions, you must be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of Minnesota for 20 days and a resident of Bloomington School District 271 for 30 days. You can register at the polls on election day with proper identification.

Q: Where do I vote?

A: Vote on the referendum questions at your regular precinct-polling place. Some polling places have changed recently. To learn where to vote, call 952-563-8729 or go online to: www.ci.bloomington.mn.us. Click on Government Law, then Voting.

Q: Can I vote in the referendum by absentee ballot?

A: You may vote by absentee ballot through Monday, Nov. 5. Here's how to vote by absentee ballot:

In person: Go to the Elections Office at Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road.
By mail: Call 952-563-8729 or TTY 952-563-8740 to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you. Allow at least 10 days for the steps in this process.
Go online to print the absentee ballot application: www.ci.bloomington.mn.us Click on Government Law, then Voting.

Q: Where can I get more information about the referendum?

A: Visit the Bloomington Public Schools website: www.bloomingtonschools.info. You may also call the Community Relations Office at 952-681-6403.

Q: With gas prices on the rise, what does it cost to keep Bloomington's school bus fleet rolling?

A: The average school bus tank holds 60 gallons of diesel fuel at $2.40 per gallon for a fill-up cost of $144 per bus, based on recent fuel price. To fill up all 109 buses that carry students to and from school, on field trips and to school events costs $16,000.