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District flags safety and facility improvements; possible voter ask as early as November
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Dan Bitman told the board that community task forces prioritized safety and security; the district may seek additional voter funding for safety, facilities and an early learning center, with a potential November ballot request pending task-force recommendations and state review timelines.
Superintendent Dr. Dan Bitman presented community engagement findings and task-force work at the March 9 Edina Public Schools board meeting, emphasizing safety and facility condition as the top drivers of any potential request for additional voter funding.
Bitman said thousands of participants in task forces identified layered safety measures — trained staff, coordinated protocols, technology infrastructure, cameras, and improved door access — alongside investments in facilities better suited to contemporary instruction and specialized programming. He noted that while current safety structures have received commendation from state and national partners, evolving threats and aging infrastructure suggest the need for additional resources.
Bitman described potential investments including safety and security staff, training, districtwide technology upgrades that improve districtwide coordination, and a dedicated early-learning center. He said recommendations from task forces will come to the board in April and May, and that any request for voter funding could appear on a ballot as early as November, subject to state review and statutory timelines.
Board members asked how capital versus operational needs would be funded; Bitman and staff said options include tech-levy increases to cover operational staff and infrastructure and that capital projects require clear dollar amounts and approved applications to the Department of Education by mid-June for some timelines.
Bitman emphasized that no decisions have been made and that the summary aimed to provide early awareness and continued community engagement before any proposal.
