Duluth School Board Faces Budget Deficit

Shortfall in Budget is Actually Lower than in Previous Years

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District faces a budget deficit of at least a $1 million over the next two fiscal years.
That was the report from district administrators at Tuesday’s School Board meeting.

The numbers are still preliminary, and depend on factors like number of students enrolled in the district and the state budget. Governor Mark Dayton’s proposal calls for a 2% funding increase per student.  District Chief Financial Officer Doug Hasler calls that a best–case scenario.  The worst case is a deficit of more than $2 million.

“We need to be vigilant for any and every cost savings opportunity that exists,” said Hasler.  “We also know that in a school district that has faced deficits in the past, a lot of the easy decisions of things we can reduce that don’t hurt so much have been made already.”

Hasler added previous district deficits were actually larger than current projections.