A $60 million boost for Minneapolis schools

Minneapolis public schools overcame fears about the economy, distractions from national elections and concerns about academic progress to cement a landslide victory for a $60 million levy.

The overwhelming approval of the eight-year measure -- 71 percent supported it -- is a major feat, in part, because more than 80 percent of the city's residents don't have children in the district and many are retired seniors who rely on a fixed income.

"You can't take people for granted," Superintendent Bill Green said Wednesday. "I was always cautiously optimistic. Minneapolis has some incredible people, but they're dealing with great pressures."

Minneapolis schools' supporters consider the money to be essential as the district implements a five-year strategic plan that aims to boost overall achievement and disproportionately low test scores at several high-poverty North Side schools.

But in recent months Minneapolis schools faced criticism from some city residents, including former board member Ann Berget, who said the previous referendum was meant to lower class sizes. She also questioned the district's decision to ask for more money as a recession loomed.

District officials said those funds were indeed spent on reducing class sizes but said the district lost ground because of drastic cuts in state aid since 2000. Still, Green said accountability and transparency would remain at the forefront of the district's agenda.

"I feel absolutely fired up to continue the work that's been done," he said. "We know the community has put a lot of trust in us."

City residents also picked three school board candidates -- all of them DFL-endorsed -- and approved a plan to enlarge the board from seven to nine members with six elected from districts similar to the Parks and Recreation Board and three chosen citywide. It will be phased in over two election cycles.

In the school board race, Sharon Henry-Blythe didn't win a third term despite being the district's most senior board member. Henry-Blythe, of south Minneapolis, is a Democrat but didn't seek an endorsement.

"There was so much change on the board in the years I was there," she said. "It pushed the district to move forward, there's greater stability."

Incumbent Lydia Lee, 60, the current board chairwoman, and newcomers Jill Davis, 47, and Carla Bates, 46, were the top vote getters. Davis will be the first board member from Northeast in several years.

In addition to managing class sizes, district officials said the levy would improve the math and science curriculums, fund early grade literacy initiatives and buy new textbooks and technology. An independent oversight committee led by two former state finance commissioners will monitor how it is spent.

"We knew that regardless of whether or not an opposition formed the toughest thing in this campaign would be the economy," said Paul Rohlfing, who managed the pro-levy group. "We knew we couldn't just send out fliers."

He said it also helped that Green and other school leaders have made great strides in recent years to restore the district's credibility and talk about issues such as poverty and the racial achievement gap.

"You can't change a school district with those challenges without talking about it," Rohlfing said. "It was really critical that they were willing to have those conversations."