How We Spend Our Money
How We Spend Our Money
PLSAS spends most of its budget in areas that directly affect students.
Nearly 80% of the budget is spent on areas related to teaching and learning, including salaries and instructional supplies. 12% of the budget is spent on purchased services such as transportation, gas and electricity and 5% goes to pay for capital expenditures such as equipment and maintenance and 3% is spent on central administration and principals.
*Source: MN Dept of Education - District/Site Level Expenditure Report
PLSAS manages taxpayer dollars wisely with the educational cost per student nearly $2,500 below the state average. While this shows we spend tax dollars wisely, it also highlights a challenge: we lack the necessary funding to address priorities identified by many in our community, such as improving safety measures in our schools, enhancing personalized learning experiences and expanding career pathway opportunities for students.
New State Mandates
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature allocated significant funding to schools. However, this financial support came with many new mandates that added extra costs to our schools.
Our most valuable asset, our dedicated teachers and support staff, represent our most significant expense. Yet, the General Education formula allowance, critical for adequately compensating our personnel, has not kept pace with inflation since 2003. If it had, we would have received at least $9 million more last year alone.
Learn More About State Mandates
Do You Want to Dive Deeper Into School Finance?
PLSAS has a Financial Dashboard that provides data on the district's financial health. From high-level financial charts to detailed reports for the district, schools, and programs, you can review it all!