Duluth schools outline deeper budget cuts and push Duluth Promise amid state, federal uncertainty

Superintendent Magus told the Duluth Public Schools board on March 18 that the district faces continued budget pressure and must make significant reductions after recent referenda produced mixed results.

Magus, Superintendent, said the district identified $2.6 million in reductions this year and is planning for roughly $5 million in reductions next year. “We went to the public a second time because we knew the state that we're gonna be in. We knew that we're gonna have to make really hard choices that were gonna impact kids,” Magus said. He urged the public and board members to consider the trade-offs the district faces if additional revenues are not secured.

The nut of the board's discussion was that rising operating costs, a failed technology referendum and limits on how some funds may be used have left the district with few favorable options. Magus explained that the technology referendum failed while a separate referendum passed in November 2023 that added about $2.3 million a year; the failed question would have reduced pressure on the general fund by roughly $2.5 million, he said. “Every choice we make related to funding is, gonna be impactful,” Magus said.

Board members and staff framed the cuts in the context of wider funding dynamics. Assistant Superintendent Bonds and Executive Director for Business Services Simone Zunich walked the board through a budget-revision exercise and a state funding explainer video that the administration shared to clarify why more state dollars do not always translate into flexible district funds. Zunich told the board the district is tracking enrollment and revenue closely and that recent enrollment growth is modest: “We had 36 in the last 3 weeks. So we're very encouraged by the process,” she said, noting that additional state or federal dollars typically arrive after the fiscal year in which they were earned and must be recorded to the correct year.

Magus also raised potential federal-level risks, including discussion in some quarters about restructuring the Department of Education. “If that does happen, that would be about $10,000,000, per year,” Magus said, noting that such a loss would be far larger than the reductions the district is currently planning and would require eliminating many positions.

Amid funding concerns, district leaders highlighted ongoing legislative advocacy tied to Duluth Promise, a workforce and career-readiness partnership. Magus and partners described Duluth Promise as a strategy to connect students with in-district career pathways and reported that local lawmakers authored bills to expand the program. “Legislation would will provide a catalyst so that we can advance this work more quickly,” the presentation said; the board also heard that local partners including the Duluth Chamber, Lake Superior College and the University of Minnesota Duluth are backing the effort and seeking $500,000 in legislative support.

Why it matters: Board members said the combination of state funding constraints, inflationary costs and local referendum results are forcing the district to choose among options that will affect staff, programming and classroom resources. Trustees urged public advocacy to influence state lawmakers during the current legislative session.

Board follow-up: Magus and board members said they will continue legislative outreach in Saint Paul and encouraged community members to contact legislators. The administration plans further budget revisions and will present recommended staffing and program changes in future meetings.