This browser does not support the Video element.
Anoka-Hennepin School District board meeting
The Anoka-Hennepin School District is holding a board meeting Monday night amid ongoing contract negotiations with educators. Community members, union leaders, and educators plan to hold a rally outside the meeting to push for a contract agreement amid tense negotiations. FOX 9 Bill Keller reports.
ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Anoka-Hennepin School District is hosting a board meeting Monday night amid ongoing contract negotiations with union educators.
Anoka-Hennepin school board meeting
The backstory:
During the school board meeting Monday night, the Anoka-Hennepin School District is holding a Truth in Taxation Public Hearing about the proposed property tax levy for the upcoming year.
The district, which employs more than 3,200 teachers, is looking to cut its operating budget for 2026 by an additional $8 million, including the elimination of nearly 120 full-time positions across grades K-12. The district cites rising costs and the elimination of federal pandemic relief funds, among the other factors.
This comes as teachers in the state's largest school district have been working without a contract since June 30. Last week, the two sides met for their third round of mediation. Anoka-Hennepin teachers describe the district's offer as a "false either-or choice around compensation and skyrocketing health insurance costs."
Educators, union leaders, and community members are planning a rally outside the school board meeting Monday to urge district leaders to settle a fair contract ahead of a potential strike vote later this month.
Also on Monday’s agenda, the school board is expected to approve the results of a contested race for a school board seat. Following a recount, election officials found no change in the results, which show Jeff Simon beating Tiffany Strabala by just 87 votes.
What's next:
The Anoka-Hennepin school board meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. The full agenda can be viewed here.
The Source: This story uses information from FOX 9's Bill Keller's reporting.