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OPEN ENROLLMENT IN FRIDLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

In Minnesota, like many other states, students can choose Open Enrollment as a legal school choice option. The Fridley Public Schools welcomes open-enrolled students from several Minnesota school districts. We welcome their contribution to our high-performing community of learners. Open Enrollment allows students and families to have access to schools that are not within their resident district. This program allows student enrollment from one school district into another.

 

For students enrolled into Fridley Public Schools, this gives them the opportunity to be a part of our full International Baccalaureate Continuum.

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FUNDING

The Fridley Public Schools develops a yearly budget to help achieve a Strategic Plan—which, in turn, drives, and reflects our schools’ priorities. Our district’s budget consists mostly of state, local, and federal dollars. Many people in education believe that such public monies should fully fund all public education expenses, funding often falls short. This is true generally and also specifically, in Fridley.


In fiscal year 2022 (final data from the Minnesota Department of Education is not yet available for the current year), Fridley received $10,726.83 per student. Fridley currently (fiscal year 2023-24) receives $7,377 in general state aid and Operating Capital aid for each K-6 resident and non-resident student and $8,805 for each 7-12 resident and non-resident student. 


For the current year, our district will receive over $8 million (and well over $70 million the past decade) due to Open Enrollment. If the District stopped accepting new Open Enrolled students, the decline in enrollment, revenue, and the ability to support lower class sizes the students and families of Fridley have benefitted from and expect would impact every student very quickly. It could adversely affect the District and the entire community, potentially even impacting property value.

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WHO COMES AND WHO GOES IN FRIDLEY

Looking at the most current enrollment data for students, 40% of our total enrollment comes from open-enrolled students. This generated nearly $8 million in revenue. However, just like families choose to send their child to Fridley, we also have students, Open Enroll out of our district. For the 2023-24 school year, we had 943 students (Average daily membership) option out for the year, incurring a loss of student revenue well over $7.4 million.

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LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

Back in 2014, the State of Minnesota changed the way it counts students for local property taxes. The formula that was used previously counted all resident students who attend the District's schools as well as those who attended another public school. In 2014, the legislature changed that to counting all students served in a district—resident and non-resident.


Using resident and non-resident students as the count for students within a district does not mean that local taxes are paying for non-resident students. That is just a new basis for counting students. In fact, in Fridley, it certainly does not necessarily mean that Fridley taxpayers are paying for non-resident students because the amount of state aid the District receives for each non-resident student is far more than the additional cost of educating that non-resident student.

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SPACE

Some may ask, do we have space within our schools to house the non-resident students? Currently, yes, all schools have sufficient space to house the non-resident students.  The state money generated by Open Enrollment is also far more than the added operational costs.  We also believe current and future facilities are for residents. It is true that all students use them, but they will be available for decades for residents to use. Furthermore, the District receives state aid for both resident and non-resident students for part of the additional facilities.

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BENEFITS

Open Enrollment revenue has enabled the District to reduce class sizes throughout the system. Some people may think that a non-resident student who is added to a classroom increases the class size, but the reality is that the money generated by Open Enrolled students allows the District to reduce class sizes, and it assures that each classroom is efficient in terms of the number of students. If there is no room in a particular class, the District denies the application for Open Enrollment and places the student on a wait-list.


The added revenue of increased enrollment has enabled the District to achieve the financial base to competitively pay staff, increase academic programs, and support services for students.  Fridley Public Schools would be a vastly different place without this Open-Enrollment revenue. We know families have terrific local options, thank you for choosing Fridley Public Schools. 


If you have a question please contact the district office at communications@isd14.org.

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