Murray County Central Schools

Parents, guardians and MCC community members: The end of another school year is upon us! With just over a week left at the time of this writing, it is hard to believe we are at graduation time again. Our 48 graduating seniors of the class of 2024 will walk across the stage on Sunday, May 26^th at 2:00 p.m.  I would like to wish our graduating seniors congratulations and best wishes in their future endeavors. I would also like to thank all of those individuals who supported them along the way to reach this milestone in their lives.

Now that we are planning for graduations, year-end projects, finals and other celebrations; it reminds us that the summer break is indeed near. As we finish the 2023-24 school year, I want to thank everyone for the many ways that you support your school District. Your continued support directly affects the students in a positive way. Our students inspire and make us proud every day. Their efforts and accomplishments are proof of the dedication of our parents, staff and communities. Murray County Central has benefited greatly from our families and communities. We also have benefited from the many volunteers over the years that are a vital part of the education system at MCC. We thank all of you!

As the 2023-2024 school year comes to a close, we are actively preparing for the start of school for 2024-2025. Our back to school registration will take place completely online again for 2024-25. The first day of school next year will be on Tuesday, September 3^rd for grades 7-12 and Thursday September 5^th for grades K-6.

One major issue that will be facing the district in the coming year is the necessity for a large budget cut due to a decline in enrollment of 44 students since fiscal year 2021. Our biggest decline was this fiscal year with a lower enrollment of 32. The question is regularly asked why a school district would need to cut the budget even though they received substantial funding from the 2023 legislative session, but this conversation has many factors including: the state not keeping up with inflation, much of the money was focused on categorical aid (earmarked), new policies that had financial implications, and the big one is some districts experiencing declining enrollment. State aid is directly tied to enrollment and most revenue streams are based off student count. When there is a decline in enrollment, there is a decline in revenue. If expenditures are not reduced, districts typically have a deficit and spend from reserve amounts. Statewide, two-thirds of the districts in the state have not returned to pre-pandemic enrollment numbers. Trends show that with the decline in public school enrollment, there is an increase in charter, private, home-school, and online school enrollment post pandemic. Lower birth rates overall are also a factor in the enrollment decline.

Minnesota school finance is a very complex business. There are many categorical buckets that monies go into and most of these can’t cross over and be spent in other buckets. For example, the “general” fund dollars can be spent for expenses in any of the categories that districts have. This is the fund where salary and benefits to employees are taken. Capital funds, on the other hand, can only be spent on qualifying capital expenditures such as improving existing facilities. These funds (along with other categories) can’t be used for salaries and benefits. This short video explains the MN School Funding process in greater detail. (Video Link: https://vimeo.com/217885244

This budget cutting effort will explore many different options. When decisions are being made, we are always looking out for the best interest of our students to drive this decision making process. We will build upon our strengths, examine current practices and make changes necessary to move the district forward. Preparation for the future includes initiatives and plans to become more efficient due to the decline in enrollment and to keep our students’ academic performance high through our ongoing strategic planning process which is the blueprint to improve the quality of education for MCC students.  
As stakeholders, you trust that the school board and administration not only ensure a high-quality education for all students but that we are also responsible stewards of your tax dollars. Your continued support of the district propositions over the years and of our strategic planning initiatives confirms your belief in us. We collectively pledge to continue our efforts of financial transparency and accountability to you.

On behalf of the school board, the administration, the faculty, and our support staff, we thank you for your continued interest in our efforts. Parental and community support are hallmarks of a healthy school system. Thank you and have a great summer!