Anoka-Hennepin parents lose court fight to force vote on school funding increase
Anoka-Hennepin schools referendum rally
A unique effort in the state's largest school district is trying to put a referendum on the ballot this fall. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has more on the group of parents in the Anoka-Hennepin school district say they want to pay more taxes to support their schools.
ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A judge has ruled that the Anoka-Hennepin School Board alone has the power to call a special election on raising school funding, turning away a parent-led petition that had gathered thousands of signatures.
Petition for special election on school funding denied
What we know:
On Wednesday, July 30, 2026, Judge Madelyn A. Adams denied a petition from "Parents for Good," Sheighlyn Berbig and Michelle Powers, that sought to force a special election on two proposed ballot questions to increase the Anoka-Hennepin School District’s general education revenue. The court found that only the school board — not a voter petition — can call such a referendum, citing Minnesota law.
The petition, which gathered more than 3,200 signatures, called for a special election on two questions: The first would increase funding by $756.63 per pupil, and the second, conditional on the first passing, would add another $275 per pupil. Both measures would last 10 years and begin with taxes payable in 2027.
The district rejected the petition on July 3, 2026, stating, "the authority to call an election for a revenue referendum rests solely within the discretion of the school board," and declined to verify the signatures. The board did not act to call a special election at its July 13, 2026 meeting.
The legal debate and court’s reasoning
The backstory:
"Parents for Good," a nonprofit of parents, educators and community members, filed the petition after the district cut about $22.2 million in spending and eliminated more than 200 staff positions since February 2024. The last operating levy was approved by voters in 2021.
The court considered two Minnesota statutes: One that generally allows special elections by petition, and another — amended in 2009 and again in 2026 — that gives school boards the exclusive power to call operating levy referenda.
Judge Adams wrote, "the authority to call or compel a special election involving referendum revenue rests exclusively with the District." The court found the statutes could not both apply and ruled the more specific, later law controls.
What they're saying:
The school district’s legal counsel said the petition had "no legal effect since a referendum cannot be placed on a ballot by petition alone." The court agreed, finding the district "did not commit an error, omission, or wrongful act" by declining to verify the petition or call a special election.
The court also noted that both Anoka and Hennepin County election officials took no position on the merits of the case, and their roles were limited to supporting the election process.
What’s next for parents and the district
Local perspective:
The ruling means that even with significant community support, only the Anoka-Hennepin School Board can decide whether to put an operating levy increase before voters. The board may still consider future referenda, but the petition process is not an option under current law.
The court’s decision follows recent legislative changes that removed the ability for voters to force such referenda by petition — a process that was allowed before 2009.
What we don't know:
It is not clear whether the Anoka-Hennepin School Board will consider a future operating levy referendum or how it will address ongoing funding challenges. There is also no information on whether the plaintiffs plan to appeal the court’s decision.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota District Court order and memorandum of law, Anoka County.