Levy FAQs

On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Owatonna Public Schools will hold a special election asking voters to consider an increase to the district’s operating levy. This funding would help maintain academic excellence and student opportunities across the district.

Operating levies are locally approved funds that help support school district operating costs. The majority of Minnesota school districts have a voter-approved operating levy, because education funding is a shared partnership between the state and federal government and local communities. Operating levies help pay for things like staff, curriculum, classroom supplies, utilities and bus transportation - costs that are critical to operating our schools and our district.

Operating levies are different than bond referendums. Bonds can only pay for buildings. Levies are for classroom learning.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. All eligible voters who reside within Owatonna Public Schools district boundaries may participate. Find voting information.

Early voting begins September 19. 

Find more information about voting on the Minnesota Secretary of State website.

Rising costs, inadequate state funding and unfunded mandates have created significant financial pressure on the district. Owatonna Public Schools has already made budget reductions for the 2025–2026 school year.

Without additional local funding, deeper cuts including larger class sizes, fewer programs, and staff reductions are anticipated in 2026–2027.

If approved, the levy would help maintain class sizes, support high-quality teachers and staff, and continue the strong academic, arts, athletics, and Career Pathways programs that Owatonna families and students value.

Owatonna’s voter-approved operating levy is the second lowest in the Big 9 Conference. The proposed increase would help bring the district closer to the average of neighboring school systems while continuing to use taxpayer resources responsibly.

To reduce expenses, the district has issued nonrenewals for teaching positions and is not filling administrative and instructional positions left open by retirements. These actions reflect a commitment to fiscal responsibility while minimizing the impact on students.

The district anticipates an additional $3 million in cuts for the 2026–27 school year. This could result in larger class sizes, fewer course and extracurricular offerings, and reductions in school and district services.

We are so grateful to the Owatonna community for their past support. In 2019, the community approved bonds to build the high school.

The last time the community approved an increase in the operating levy was in 2013.  

It’s important to know that budgets for buildings are legally separated from budgets for operations. Bonds can’t be spent on programs. Operating levy dollars are used to support classroom learning and related expenses. 

Agricultural land is not taxed on an operating levy question—only the house, garage and one acre.

If approved, this levy would generate 3.7 million dollars annually for Owatonna Public Schools for the next 10 years.

Yes. The proposed $700 increase would be added to the current $556 per student operating levy amount, and the resulting $1256 would move Owatonna Public Schools from eighth to fourth in the Big Nine Conference. 

Owatonna Online is a quality, sought-after program in the state of Minnesota. Some students attend one of our partner districts, which means 60% of their state funding comes to Owatonna while 40% stays with the district. For partner districts, students may participate in fine arts and athletics in their home district and receive their diploma from there.

Students may also open-enroll in Owatonna Online, in which case all of the state funding formula comes to Owatonna.

In both cases, Owatonna Online has created additional revenue for the district.

ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds were federal grants provided to school districts to address the impacts of the pandemic on education. Owatonna Public Schools utilized these funds for both capital (specifically technology) and staffing needs. The ESSER funds are no longer available.

This will be the first year that state funding is tied to the inflationary index.

• Fiscal Year 26 Formula Amount - $7,481 (2.74% increase)
• Fiscal Year 27 Formula Amount - $7,705 (estimate based on 3%)

The number of Owatonna Public School employees is:

• 1098 total employees
• 917 without casual workers but still includes external coaches and subs
• 766 without casual workers, external coaches and subs

Over 74% of the district budget goes directly into classroom learning.

The levy is for 10 years (2026-2036).

All township residents vote at the combined polling place in Clinton Falls Town Hall, 3723 N County Road 45.

Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 205A.11, when no other election is being held in a school district, the school board may designate combined polling places at which the voters in those precincts may vote in the school district election. A combined polling place must be at a location designated for use as a polling place by a county or municipality (2017 law change).

Prior to 2017, the Four Seasons was used as a combined polling place. Because of the Statute/law change in 2017, the Four Seasons could no longer be used as a polling place. At that time, In the event of a school district special election, the school board passed a resolution that, for its rural voters, Clinton Falls Town Hall - an established polling place in the school district - would serve as a combined polling place.  

You may find budgets and financial forms on the Financial Reports webpage.

Non-homeowners would not pay for the operating levy directly - the owner, or landlord, would pay the increase.

Indirectly, the landlord most likely will pass on the cost to the renters via higher rents, but that's up to individual landlords to determine.

You may email your question to levy@isd761.org or call 507-444-8680.