District 196 presentation: Nov. 4 tech levy would add $15.5 million annually for devices, curriculum and cybersecurity

The Rosemount‑Apple Valley‑Eagan School Board heard a detailed presentation Sept. 29 on the district’s Nov. 4 technology levy renewal and modest increase, which administrators say is needed to maintain classroom devices, digital curriculum, network infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Bruce Miller, who led the overview, traced the district’s technology program to a 2015 voter‑approved levy that launched the 1:1 device program and said modern learning now requires more than tablets: “Technology is changing every profession,” he said, arguing that hands‑on industry partnerships and up‑to‑date tools help prepare students for careers.

Ed Heyer, the district’s coordinator of technology, detailed cybersecurity threats as part of the justification. “Upwards of 95% of breaches are initially started with some sort of a phishing method,” Heyer said, and he reported the district’s email filters blocked just over 700,000 spam or malicious messages in the past month. Heyer also described layered protections on student devices, including the Lightspeed filter and a district firewall that apply different settings by grade level.

Janet Swicikowski, director of communications, outlined the ballot question’s numbers and voter guidance. The proposal would raise the levy rate from 3.015 to 5.015 — a 2 percentage‑point increase — and is projected by the district to generate $15,500,000 annually. Swicikowski said those figures are the legally required ballot disclosures and not the direct, individual tax impact; the district’s online tax calculator shows an average impact of about $7 per month for a $400,000 home if the question passes.

Officials said the levy revenue would continue to fund student devices and classroom hardware, pay for network and cybersecurity tools and maintain staffing that supports instructional technology. The presentation also noted growing costs for digital curriculum: the district is spending about $5.2 million more per year on digital resources than the current levy covers, the presenters said.

Board members asked about on‑device safety, curriculum access and how the funds would be spent. Heyer described the filtering and family resources available for additional controls. Swicikowski pointed listeners to district196.org/techlevy for the full ballot language, an FAQ and a tax calculator, and reminded voters that early voting is already underway and that Nov. 4 polling hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The levy question will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot alongside the district’s school board election. If the question fails, the administration warned, the district would face a projected $9.1 million reduction to the instructional technology budget and would need to identify alternative funding sources.