The Robbinsdale Public School District board on Sept. 23 voted to direct administration to begin work on draft timelines to address the district’s $21 million statutory operating debt and to develop next steps for the Vision 2030 recommendations, which include consolidating buildings, creating a districtwide arts-and-innovation identity and planning for a single new high school.

The Vision 2030 advisory team — an 8-month volunteer effort that the presenters said included 37 members and incorporated input from about 17,000 stakeholders via surveys and engagement events — delivered a written report and a slide presentation to the board. The presenters described recommendations intended to improve equity, reduce operating costs and modernize facilities so the district can “operate within its financial means” while expanding program access.

Why it matters: The district faces long-term enrollment decline and deferred maintenance that the vision team said are not sustainable. The report ties projected enrollment declines and low building utilization to ongoing operating costs and recommends a mix of program consolidation and capital investment to stabilize finances and expand student opportunities.

Key recommendations and findings

- School consolidation and right‑sizing: The team concluded Robbinsdale currently operates more buildings than necessary. About half of buildings show utilization under 60 percent. The advisory report estimates that 6 to 9 elementary schools, 2 to 3 middle schools and a single high school could serve projected enrollment over the next decade; exact school counts and specific school names were not specified and the team said those choices require further staff study.

- One new high school: The vision team recommended planning for a single new high school (enrollment estimate 2,800–2,900 students) to create a unified district identity and broaden access to advanced courses and extracurricular programs. The team noted planning and construction would take years and recommended further research into feasibility and safety design elements.

- Arts and innovation district identity: The team recommended expanding the district’s magnet strengths (arts, project-based learning, outdoor learning) into an "arts and innovation" focus across neighborhood schools, while retaining Spanish immersion as a standalone magnet because of language proficiency requirements for staff.

- Facilities and deferred maintenance: The report cites an estimated $216.6 million in deferred maintenance over the next 10 years; about $76.3 million was characterized as urgent (health, safety, or system failures). The team recommended a voter‑approved bond to fund major improvements and new construction.

- Enrollment and finances: The team reported a 16 percent enrollment decline since 2014–15 (nearly 2,000 students), and projected 2030–31 enrollment between 9,341 and 9,759 students compared with 10,253 in the prior year. The advisory group also cited a district operating deficit of roughly $21 million that placed Robbinsdale into statutory operating debt and affected more than 180 staff positions.

Board action and timeline

Board members discussed the report at length. Assistant Superintendent Bob McDowell outlined a draft, multi‑phase timetable that the administration said is intended to align statutory operating debt (SOD) planning with any facility and program decisions. The administration emphasized the SOD planning requirement to the Minnesota Department of Education and the legal submission deadline: a statutory operating debt plan must be submitted to MDE by Jan. 31, 2026.

Following discussion, a motion was made and seconded to direct administration to begin action on the draft timelines for both SOD planning and the Reimagine RDL 2030 work. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the motion carried.

Quotes from presenters and officials

- Willie Howard, Vision 2030 team member: “I am a man who runs to the fire, not away from it.”

- Kylander Nelson Schapertia, student member of the vision team: “In a room full of adults worrying about taxes, I make sure to advocate for the needs of my fellow peers, students, and how to support them during their development.”

- Superintendent Terry Stovf (presenting the administration’s next-step plan): The district must "create a statutory operating debt plan" and decide which combination of short‑term reductions and longer‑term investments the community will support.

What the report did not decide

The advisory team stressed it produced recommendations and intentionally did not specify which individual schools to close or exact timelines for closures. The presenters repeatedly said those implementation decisions — boundary adjustments, staffing changes, final school selections and bonding amounts — are the responsibility of district staff and the elected board and will require further operational study and community engagement.

Clarifying details from the meeting

- Vision team composition and input: 37 committee members signed the recommendations after an 8‑month process that included districtwide meetings and affinity sessions. The vision team said about 17,000 stakeholders provided input via multiple channels.
- Enrollment projections: The team cited an independent projection that estimated 2030–31 enrollment at 9,341–9,759 students; last year’s enrollment was 10,253.
- Deferred maintenance: $216.6 million estimated over 10 years; $76.3 million of that labeled as urgent.
- Technology levy: A renewed levy (continuing the 2014 levy at the same tax rate) provides about $7 million annually, with roughly two‑thirds dedicated to technology and one‑third to safety and security; it does not address major facility needs.
- SOD deadline: Draft SOD plan work aimed at board finalization by Jan. 20, 2026 and formal submission to the Minnesota Department of Education by Jan. 31, 2026.

Next steps

The board directed administration to proceed with drafting SOD and reimagine timelines and options, with further board review and public engagement planned. The administration indicated it would return with more detailed options, financial projections and phased implementation scenarios in the coming weeks to inform board decisions and public discussion.

Ending note

Board members said they welcomed the advisory group’s work but emphasized that operational details — boundary changes, staffing implications, academic program design and tax impacts for voters — will shape whether and how the district proceeds. The board set an expectation for the administration to bring additional materials and scenarios to future meetings so the board and community can evaluate feasibility, costs and potential timelines.