4:42pm | Thursday, October 10, 2024
Robbinsdale Area School District voters will decide the fate of the district’s technology tax at the polls this November.
The current tax expires at the end of 2024 but was approved in 2014.
Voters have the option to renew or reject the levy, which will help pay for technology across the district, from laptops to surveillance cameras.
Technology in schools
At Sonnessen Elementary School in New Hope, every student has their own tablet or laptop.
“At the elementary school level, we use a combination of iPads for our youngest students and Chromebooks for our older students,” said media specialist Matt Schneider. “We found that Chromebooks were not well suited for kindergarten classrooms, and vice versa.”
Students throughout the Robbinsdale district will receive these devices on a one-to-one basis.
Often used in classrooms.
“Technology is essential in the modern classroom because it affects everything from elections to recipes,” Schneider said.
Robbinsdale Area School District voters will decide the fate of the district’s technology tax at the polls this November.
voting question
Voters can expect a technology tax on their ballots in addition to larger races such as U.S. president and local office.
Superintendent Terry Stalock said the levy is the primary source of funding for the district technology department.
“We are therefore requesting a direct update,” she said. “We are not asking for additional funding, we are asking for a direct renewal, so the tax rate remains the same.”
The levy generates approximately $7 million annually.
But this isn’t just about laptops. The levy also helps pay for the district’s safety needs.
“This technology levy will help or assist us in making sure we get the cameras we need,” Mr Stalock said. “Make sure you have a strong visitor management system, make sure you have safe entry points, and figure out how to continue to support them.”
For students, a lot is at stake. If the levy fails, it could result in budget cuts in classrooms and elsewhere in the district.
“This $7 million is very important because without this funding stream, we would have to take $7 million out of the general fund to continue doing these things,” Stalock said. “We are reducing classroom costs by $7 million and working on other things we need to do to ensure we have great schools.”
Brooklyn Center | Brooklyn Park | Crystal | Golden Valley | A New Hope | Plymouth | Robbinsdale
