Survey shows support for smaller bond; levy backing below majority, consultant tells EGF School Board

Scott of School Perceptions told the East Grand Forks Public School District board on April 13 that a district survey of 637 respondents (about a 14% response rate, margin of error ±3.96 percentage points) found safety and security had the highest project-priority score and that community support for large bond packages is limited.

"The highest priority score was safety and security," Scott said, reporting a priority score of 2.33 on a 1–3 scale. He told trustees the district tested multiple bond amounts and an illustrative $74.2 million package — the sum of eight potential projects — attracted limited support: weighted support would be about 13.6% under current responses and is well below the 50% threshold needed to pass a referendum.

Scott explained the district’s weighting approach (estimating roughly 30% of voters are parents and 70% non-parents/non-staff) and said that while parents and staff show stronger backing, non-parent/non-staff respondents were less supportive. "For parents, we surpassed 50% nearly in the $45 million range, but it reaches it in the $30 million bond referendum range," he said. The weighted projection for a $30 million bond was about 49.4% — inside the survey’s margin of error — and support rose for packages smaller than $30 million, where weighted support reached about 62%.

On levy testing, Scott summarized that asking respondents whether they would support a levy that provides roughly $500,000 a year for 10 years produced predicted support of about 43.7% when weighted by voter type. "There are a significant number of undecided respondents," he said, noting roughly one-quarter of non-parent/non-staff respondents and about 21% of parents said they were unsure and might be persuadable.

The presentation also broke out priorities by group: staff ranked special education highest (with safety and security second); parents and non-parents prioritized safety and security and HVAC/plumbing among top needs. Scott noted the survey included an explanation of bonds versus levies and tax-impact scenarios to inform respondents.

The board was told the full survey and data would be posted on the district website and that a community task force will meet again to prepare formal recommendations. Scott invited trustees to follow up with him for details.

What happens next: trustees will consider the survey results as they refine plans for facilities work and any referendum or levy proposals; the district task force expects to meet and bring recommendations to the board.