Sauk Rapids-Rice School District Wraps Up Budget Without Cuts

SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- The Sauk Rapids-Rice School District is ready to start the next fiscal year on July 1st.

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Superintendent Brad Bergstrom says they completed the budget process back in April, and for the first time in five years, they didn't have to make any budget adjustments - or cuts.

Part of the reason is that we've spent the past five years making some very challenging decisions when it came to our budget.  Over that five-year time period, we cut about $7.6 million out of our budget in order to meet the needs of our students and also stay within a balanced budget.

Bergstrom says the district is still learning information about what the upcoming Permanent School Fund amendment question could mean for them. The State Legislature approved a ballot question asking voters to raise the cap on that land trust fund, which was established in 1858. Bergstrom says he believes it could mean an increase of $29 per student per year, if voters approve it. It would have no impact on property taxes. The Sauk Rapids-Rice school district is planning to share more information about the amendment question and what it could mean for the district this fall.

Sauk Rapids-Rice School construction update

Construction is well underway for two facilities in the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. Bergstrom says the Mayhew Creek Community Center and the Creekside Early Education Center have moved about 30,000 yards of dirt - or about 2,600 dump truck loads. The Outdoor Activities Complex will move about 100,000 yards of dirt - or about 4,600 dump truck loads.

Bergstrom says the "One Storm-One Future" page on the district's website will have regular construction updates.

Once the walls come up at the Creekside Early Education Center, it's usually a bit more challenging to see what's going on on the inside.  They now have drones that have the ability to fly inside.  We'll continue every month between now and August of 2027.

In February 2025, district voters approved two ballot questions for both projects.