State Senator Dan Skogen said he plans to introduce legislation to aid the Wadena-Deer Creek school district due to declining enrollment concerns following the June tornado.
"When natural disasters such as severe storms or floods occur, schools often face declining enrollment if families need to relocate." said Skogen, who is a member of the E-12 Education Budget and Policy Committee. "There are similar fears about loss of students because of the tornado. The legislation I plan to introduce would help the district bridge that gap in funding."
The problem occurs, Skogen explained, because school aid funding is partially determined by the number of students enrolled in a district. When a block of students leaves a district suddenly, which can happen in the aftermath of a serious storm, the school district will face funding losses. The legislation would provide full funding to cover losses for one year, and then continue funding on a pro-rated basis for an additional three years.
"This gives the district a chance to recover from the disaster and to adjust programs if necessary," Skogen said. "It also gives the community a chance to rebuild and hopefully stem population losses."
Similar legislation has been introduced in the past in the aftermath of the floods in southeastern Minnesota and serious fire in St. Charles.
ADVERTISEMENT
"This tornado was devastating to Wadena," Skogen said. "But we are on the path to recovery, and legislation to help maintain our education funding to keep our schools strong will definitely benefit the larger community and the re-building efforts."
