Robbinsdale board debates $8M statutory operating debt plan; magnet bus cuts, school closures and IB program on the table
Summary
The Robbinsdale Area School Board spent most of its Dec.1 meeting discussing a statutory operating debt proposal that targets more than $8 million in year‑one savings, including a proposed $1.7 million reduction in magnet transportation, possible additional school closures and potential changes to the district’s IB programming. No final votes were taken; administration will return with options.
The Robbinsdale Area School Board on Dec. 1 discussed administration’s statutory operating debt (SOD) plan aimed at identifying more than $8 million in first‑year savings, but members split sharply over a proposed $1.7 million cut to magnet transportation and whether program reductions or school closures are the right path.
Superintendent Stallo opened the discussion, recapping prior study sessions and asking board members to submit any outstanding questions. The administration framed the SOD package as several components — school closure recommendations, magnet‑program transportation (including Spanish‑immersion busing to Plymouth Middle School), Minneapolis open‑enrollment transportation, scheduling and staffing efficiencies, and reductions in non‑instructional staff — that together meet the year‑one target of “over $8,000,000.” Stallo cautioned that “there are no good decisions. We’re trying to help support the best of the worst decisions possible.”
The clearest flashpoint was magnet transportation. One director called the $1.7 million line item “a really concerning” cut and asked whether the district would face legal exposure by providing transportation to some families and not others. Administration and a board member noted that magnet schools are choice schools without attendance boundaries and that Minnesota statute affects transportation obligations for choice programs, meaning the district may not be legally required to provide magnet transportation in the same way it does for neighborhood schools.
Other board members pressed for alternatives before eliminating the bus service. Suggestions included a sliding, fee‑based model that scales by federal poverty measures, exploring transportation hubs and staggered start times to reduce costs, and seeking specific alternatives from administration in writing. Several directors said they wanted options presented publicly; others urged prompt decisions because the timeline affects registration, staffing and course scheduling for next year.
Programming also figured in debate. Some directors argued the board has not had sufficient opportunity to set or debate district programming priorities and warned against removing International Baccalaureate (IB) offerings without a broader discussion of vision and program replacements. One board member said IB had historically been an important district program and urged more conversation before removing elements.
No formal action on the SOD items was taken at the meeting. The board asked administration to return at the next study session and on Dec. 15 with additional data and alternatives, including any legal analysis, cost estimates and written options for magnet‑transportation adjustments. Administration warned that if a $1.7 million reduction is not identified elsewhere it would likely require proposing another school closure to meet targets.
What’s next: administration will provide written responses to outstanding board questions, present additional options at a Dec. 8 study session, and bring recommendations back for possible action at the Dec. 15 meeting.
