Rep. Simonson: Taxpayers Will Pay If Central Is Sold To Edison
Edison Is Offering $14.2 Million For Central School
Rep. Erik Simonson spoke out Wednesday night about the possibility of the possible sale of old Central High School to Edison Charter Schools.
In an e-mail to Duluth School Dist. board members, he said taxypayers don’t understand that they will be paying long after the potential $14.2 million sale of the building through the “per-pupil lease aid formula.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Duluth School Board will decide whether to move forward with the potential sale to Edison by voting for or against the removal of district rules that says the Duluth School District cannot sell school property to a competing school district.
For the complete e-mail explaining Simonson’s points, see below.
From: “Erik Simonson” <Rep.Erik.Simonson@house.mn>
Date: March 30, 2016 at 6:07:29 PM CDT
To: <jpgoose@charter.net>,<bonnie.jorgenson@duluthedison.com>
Cc: “Jennifer Schultz” <Rep.Jennifer.Schultz@house.mn>, “Mary Murphy” <rep.mary.murphy@house.mn>,<alanna.oswald@isd709.org>, <anne.harala@isd709.org>, <arthur.johnston@isd709.org>, <david.kirby@isd709.org>, <harry.welty@isd709.org>, <nora.sandstad@isd709.org>, <rosalie.loeffler-kemp@isd709.org>, <william.gronseth@isd709.org>
Subject: Edison/ISD 709
Mr. Goossens and Ms. Jorgenson,
First, let me apologize for corresponding via email. I realized there is a potential vote as early as tomorrow, so time was in the essence.
I have followed with interest the recent reports in the media regarding Tischer Creek’s offer to ISD 709 for the purchase of the old Central High School.
As you will recall, I met with Ms. Jorgenson and others at the Raleigh Edison school, and was nothing short of impressed by the program offered and the dedication of the staff. In addition, we met a few times over the course of the last months in an attempt to identify the impact of the proposed Edison high school, as well as have frank and open discussions on any funding discrepancies between Edison and ISD 709.
I was of the understanding and impression that the relatively small high school you were planning to construct adjacent to Northstar Academy was designed to meet your current student population in the lower grades. This recent proposal does change the conversation dramatically, or at least it has the potential for such.
The decision to sell Central, and whom to sell the school to lies with the ISD 709 school board. That is not a debate for me or the state legislature. However, it is my role to ensure state funds are properly invested, and with a continued need for new monies to be invested in pre-kindergarten, K-12, and higher education, no state expenditures can be left to chance.
My concerns for your proposal are three fold, which I will explain briefly here.
1. In reviewing the public discussions to date, I am not convinced the average Duluth citizen completely understands that the Minnesota taxpayers will in fact be paying for this building through the per-pupil lease aid formula, which I presume you would apply to receive, should this sale proceed. I believe, because I have had constituents state to me, the average person thinks that this sale would essentially relieve the taxpayers of this burden. That is simply not true, and in fact they will be paying for it through the State of Minnesota general fund. I think it is critical that point is clearly understood by all.
2. The City of Duluth went through an exhaustive and divisive effort several years ago, and ultimately resolved that the city could only support two, large public high schools. At that time, several ISD 709 school buildings were either built, or re-constructed, and the Central High School was closed. As I stated in our earlier conversations, I was initially concerned that your relatively small school proposal was going to have a negative impact on ISD 709 high school enrollment, perhaps further exacerbating an enrollment discrepancy between East and Denfeld. Ultimately, I was convinced that ISD 709 could adjust, based on the relatively small numbers of high school aged children migrating to Edison. Your proposal concerns me because as Duluth has determined, we are a two high school community. If Edison opens a third, and one that has potential for a large capacity of students, my fear is that ISD 709 will be facing yet another closure, and I fear for further discrimination and disparities between the two sides of town. Losing Denfeld High School would have a devastating impact on West Duluth, which as you know is the heart of my legislative district.
3. I am even more convinced now that the Minnesota charter school systems, which are recipients of public funding just like ISD 709, need to be governed by a publicly elected board. I cannot imagine a scenario where a decision like this would have been made so hastily without further public scrutiny if the board members were accountable to all the taxpayers in the district.
To that end, and out of respect to you and your respective organizations, I wanted to let you know I am drafting legislation which essentially does the following:
1. To require the board of any public ally funded school, partially or wholly, located within the City of Duluth, to be elected by voters within the district(s) served.
2. Somehow stop any major purchases of capital until #1 is accomplished.
3. Require all funding mechanisms to be absolutely equal between charters and other public schools.
I offer these as solutions, not to break the intent of the alternative charter school, rather to ensure protection of the taxpayers and to level the playing field.
I know the ISD 709 board will be considering your offer very soon, and I hope at the very least it is made clear about the lease aid issue, and in fact taxpayers will be financing a building they have already paid for in the past.
Thank you.
Representative Erik Simonson
Room 221 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
