Negotiations Updates

Negotiations for the contract are currently not in progress.

Current contract:

• Lakeville Association of School Administrators (Principals and Deans)

As of 8/13/2024, negotiations for the contract are underway between Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Lakeville Area Schools. 194 CU Initial Proposals 

Current contract:

• Custodial/Maintenance Service Employees International Union Local 284

On March 27, 2024 the Lakeville Area Schools Board of Education approved the student nutrition contract settlement package for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 agreement years. Highlights of this settlement include an additional paid holiday and wage increases of 2.5% year one and 2.25% year two for a total package increase of 7.88%.

Current contract:

• Student Nutrition Bargaining Unit

Negotiations for the contract are currently not in progress.

Current contract:

• Small Wonders Instructors

• A. The primary source of funding for Minnesota school districts comes from the State of Minnesota. The legislature decides the state's K-12 basic funding levels, as well as directing what services schools must provide. In determining how much funding we receive, the legislature uses a complex formula that considers the number of students, special needs within our district, property wealth and several other factors. For our school district, the state currently funds 76 percent of our budget.

  Elementary and secondary education in Minnesota is financed through a combination of state-collected taxes (primarily income and sales taxes) and locally collected property taxes.

A. In Minnesota, as a unified entity, a school board and administration work together to negotiate fair and fiscally responsible contracts with union negotiation teams. The school board sets negotiation parameters, and a district’s negotiation team operates collectively within those parameters, reporting to the school board. Since January, the Lakeville Area Schools Board of Education has held three closed sessions to stay informed and discuss ongoing negotiation matters with the negotiation team. The District is dedicated to securing fair contracts that align our resources, support our employees, and ultimately contribute to our students' success.

A: Although state funding has increased as a result of the spring 2023 legislative session, the increased funding falls short of covering the escalating expenses of school districts across Minnesota. 

The District recently underwent substantial budget cuts totaling $7 million. After applying new monies from the state, the District’s unassigned fund balance is expected to be 2%, which is far below the School Board’s mandated 5% policy. Though the District is grateful for the new funding from the state, the new funding came with new mandates and new costs. The new monies from the State have not fully addressed the education funding gap in the District or statewide. 

State funding has not kept pace with inflation since 2003, resulting in school districts falling behind in funding and needing to rely more on the support of their local communities through referendums. While the basic education formula is now tied to inflation up to a 3% maximum, the gap in funding created from historical shortfalls still exists. 

The last round of MN legislation included dozens of new state mandates, most of which are only partially funded or not funded at all. These include: 

• Teacher licensure modifications

• Introduction of unemployment insurance for non-certified hourly employees

• Significant curriculum alterations, including new mandatory courses

• Changes to graduation requirements and academic standards

• New professional development requirements

• Implementation of the READ Act

• Implementation of Earned Sick and Safe Time leave

• Introduction of a paid family and medical leave program

• Amendments to student discipline for non-exclusionary procedures and requirements

• Enhanced school safety training and limitations along with new suicide prevention information requirements

• New district reporting requirements

• Adjustments to teacher tenure requirements

• Enhancements to teachers' pension program

• Universal meals

• Adjustments to the collective bargaining process

• Expansion of pregnancy and nursing accommodation requirements

• Provisions for e-Learning days and school closure requirements

• And more

For a comprehensive list of all the new legislation introduced, please refer to this link: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/current/ 

A. Here is a chart that compares Lakeville Area Schools spending per student to other area districts. This information was compiled using the Minnesota Department of Education Report Card. 

• Budget At-A-Glance

A: While school districts receive state and federal funding per pupil that is consistent across districts, this funding has lagged behind inflation for decades. To help offset the funding gap, districts also need to levy resident tax dollars to support students. Currently, the Lakeville Area Schools levy amount per pupil is $1,626, while the maximum a district in Minnesota can levy per pupil is approximately $2,300. This translates to at least $8.3 million in revenue that is not available in the Lakeville Area Schools annual budget. Other comparable districts are at or near the maximum for how much they can levy through property taxes, which means they have an additional $400-600 dollars per student as compared to Lakeville Area Schools. 

A: Staff work under the terms of the previously negotiated contract. Any new agreement reached will apply retroactively once finalized.