How can I be involved in the budget decision-making process?

SPPS conducted extensive engagement with students, families, staff and community members last school year to help guide budget decisions. This input from more than 10,000 stakeholders resulted in identifying a set of community values (e.g. safety, belonging, culturally responsive schools) and instructional priorities (literacy). A full summary of this engagement is available here. Where possible, SPPS leaders and the Board of Education will make budget decisions that align with these values for the 2025-26 budget. 

Stakeholders are encouraged to submit feedback using the budget feedback form and are also welcome to sign up for public comment at the monthly Board of Education meetings. Individual schools will also engage with their school communities about their school's budget; please look for more information from your child's school(s).

Who is making the final decisions?

The Superintendent and the Senior Executive Leadership Team will make the final 2025-26 budget decisions in consultation with principals, district leaders and the Board of Education (BOE). Those decisions are then turned into recommendations that are presented to the BOE. The BOE must vote to approve the budget by June 30, 2025.

What is the timeline for decisions to be made?

A timeline for the 2025-26 budget process can be found here.

What is in scope and out of scope for this process?

All programs, partnerships, strategic initiatives and other commitments that are not mandated are being evaluated as part of this process. No departments, positions or programs are exempt from being evaluated and considered as potential places to make staffing reductions and reduce costs. This includes district staff and programs. Everything is being evaluated against the board's parameters, community priorities and data about student outcomes.

We don’t know what impact this will have on our schools at this time. We anticipate that schools will receive their budgets at the end of March. Any staff or program adjustments will be made in accordance with employee contract language. Closing schools is out of scope for this process. 

When will the final budget be published?

The full proposed 2025-26 budget will be presented at the May or June Board of Education meeting and must be approved by June 30, 2025.

How do we project enrollment each year?

SPPS looks at a variety of data including birth rates, charter school openings or closings, changes in neighborhood demographics (people moving in/out, etc.), and historic enrollment trends to make a projection for the following school year. These projections are typically within 0.5-2% of the actual October 1 enrollment each year.

How many PreK-12 students are enrolled in SPPS?

33,589 is the district's official PreK-12 enrollment count. This number is based on the district's total enrollment as of October 1, 2024.

How does student enrollment impact the budget?

Enrollment is the primary driver of a school district’s budget. Nearly all revenue is linked to enrollment, including state aid and local property taxes. SPPS has seen declines in enrollment over the past 10 years. 2024-25 is the first school year that has shown a year-over-year increase since 2014-15.

What is SPPS doing to increase enrollment?

Enrollment increased across the district this school year for the first time in 10 years. We anticipate an increase in enrollment again for school year 2025-26. 

SPPS has several strategies in place to recruit and retain students and families. We are focused on offering high-quality programs and services that meet the needs of our community. We continually solicit input and analyze data to make informed decisions about what influences families to choose and stay in SPPS. Some of the district’s recruitment and retention efforts include the annual School Choice Fair, School Selection Guide, digital marketing efforts and proactive media outreach. In addition, six schools received dedicated marketing funds to boost their enrollment for this year.

On average, 60% of school-age St. Paul residents attend Saint Paul Public Schools. 85% of students stay in SPPS from one grade to the next. Other factors that impact enrollment include increased competition from charter and non-public schools and declining birth rates.

Are there opportunities for the federal or state governments to help reduce the funding gap?

We are not aware of any additional funding opportunities coming from the state or federal government at this time.

Are there limits or constraints that dictate how money can be spent?

Yes. There are a variety of constraints that determine how money can be spent including employee contracts, state statutes, mandated services and new legislative requirements, not all of which are funded at the levels needed to cover the associated costs.

The general fund is the most flexible funding source. General fund revenue accounts for approximately 76% of the school district's budget. The projected general fund revenue for the 2025-26 budget is $681 million. Other funds, including the food service fund, community service fund, debt service fund and construction fund, can only be spent on a defined set of expenses. For definitions of each of these funds, please refer to the FY26 Budget Glossary of Terms.

Do my property taxes go to my local school or to the district?

Property taxes are used to fund the district as a whole. Property tax levies are part of the overall district budget and are allocated to schools and programs based on the district’s budget parameters and priorities. Local property taxes fund approximately 20% of SPPS’s annual revenue.

Saint Paul Public Schools is projecting a shortfall of approximately $50 million for next year’s budget (FY26). Does that mean the district will be cutting $50 million of expenses?

While the district anticipates an increase in enrollment for school year 2025-26, this does not account for increased expenses including employee wages and benefits and rising costs of goods and services. As a result, SPPS is planning for a budget shortfall of approximately $50 million for next year. This estimate will continue to be updated between now and when the Board approves the budget in June. This does not mean that the district will need to cut $50 million in wages and expenses. To minimize the impact of this shortfall on students and schools, many options are being considered, including pulling from the district’s reserve funds (fund balance).

What percentage of the SPPS general fund budget is spent on personnel? 

80% of the general fund budget is spent on staff wages and benefits. This is similar to other school districts in Minnesota.

How many full-time equivalent staff (FTEs) does SPPS have?

SPPS has 6,088 full and part-time, regular and active staff (as of February 2025).

What is the per pupil expense for SPPS?

The most recent data from the 2023-24 school year is $23,112 per pupil. By comparison, the state average is $16,649 per pupil.

Do we have access to detailed information on how money is being spent?

Information about the 2025-26 budget will be shared at Board of Education meetings, on the SPPS website, via email and in staff meetings. All of the information that has been shared to date is available at spps.org/fy26budget.

When will the final budget be published?

The full proposed 2025-26 budget will be presented at the May or June Board of Education meeting and must be approved by June 30, 2025.