LOR Equalization Leaves Out Poorest Districts

mreaadminOpportunity Gap, Other Rural Issues, View Maps on Issues

The equalization of Local Optional Revenue does not reach some of the poorest school districts in the state. The property wealth of school districts in the Central Lakes and Northeast Minnesota regions are among the highest in the state, and yet they have almost no relation to median income or Free and Reduced Lunch Percentages. In these 23 school districts the Referendum Market … Read More

MREA Releases Map on Household Income By Minnesota School Districts

mreaadminAmerican Indian, Capitol Insider Blog, Opportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released a map today illustrating median household income by school district in Minnesota. The map reveals a wide rural-metro divide with the state’s wealthiest district’s median income more than five times the amount of the poorest district. Nine of the 12 districts with the lowest median household income in Minnesota serve a significant number of American Indian children. The … Read More

MREA Map Raises Question on Calculating School District Wealth

mreaadminView Maps on Issues

MREA released a map today that illustrates patterns in ANTC/APU as a measure of Minnesota school district property wealth in 2014. A thumbnail is below. View the interactive map. In 2015, is ANTC/APU still the formula by which “The Legislature shall make provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a through and efficient system of public schools throughout the state?” (Minnesota … Read More

MREA Map Illustrates Family Income and Child Poverty by School District

mreaadminAmerican Indian, Opportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released a map today on family income and child poverty in Minnesota’s school districts by means of free and reduced lunch meals. Fifteen Greater Minnesota school districts have FRE percentages of 67 percent or more. A thumbnail is below. View the interactive map. Free & Reduced Meals Free and Reduced (FRE) meals are provided to families who qualify by … Read More

MREA Map of Referendum Market Value Shows Patterns in School District Wealth

mreaadminOpportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released a map showing patterns in Referendum Market Value by Residential Pupil Units as a measure of Minnesota school district property wealth in 2014. RMV/RPU is currently equalized in three tiers, which are shown in the thumbnail below. View the interactive map. Key Findings RMV/RPU has variation in property wealth across the state, but not as wide a variation as … Read More

Map Shows Impact of LOR Decision

mreaadminOpportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released a map today that illustrates inequity in school funding will go down dramatically over the next two years as a result of legislative, school board and voter decisions in 2013 and 2014. A thumbnail is below. View the interactive map. Fixing the Donut Hole The 2012 gap in funding between the 5th to 95th percentiles of school district reached 31.5 … Read More

MREA Releases Map on Facility Maintenance Funding Disparity

mreaadminFacility Fallout, Opportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

The Facility Task Force has identified issues of concern surrounding facility funding. One that’s been highlighted is the inequity that has grown between the 25 districts qualifying for the alternative facilities bonding program and the more than 300 who done don’t.  The inequities have grown so large that these 25 spend $2.79 per square foot and all the other districts … Read More

MREA Digs Into Early Learning Scholarships

mreaadminOpportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released today a map of the 169 school districts that were eligible to submit applications for Early Learning Phase II scholarships to facilitate program planning and to ensure availability of services to children during the year. This type of scholarship is designed to enhance program services and serve more children in the community.  These school districts and the Four … Read More

MREA Releases Map of “Donut Hole” Districts

mreaadminOpportunity Gap, View Maps on Issues

MREA released a map today showing where the districts are that do not qualify for Location Equity Revenue (LER) and are left in the “Donut Hole” between Small Schools Revenue (SSR) and LER. All of these 132 districts with 147,000 students are in Greater Minnesota.  View the interactive map. School districts with 600-999 kids would do better financially with the … Read More