QUESTIONS

The funding will consist of 20-year obligation bond funds.

If the referendum passes, design work would start immediately, and construction work would begin Spring 2025.

The estimated cost to to demo and rebuild the building with new programming elements included in the bond referendum would likely cost $80-90 million, equalling to at least $50 million more than the bond funds we are requesting. Battle Lake Public Schools is being fiscally responsible by keeping the "bones" of the building, which has been well-maintained throughout the years, and are requesting to upgrade the outdated mechanical systems, learning environments, and items that are past their expected lifespan. 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is an educational program that focuses on providing students with the knowledge, skills, hands-on learning experiences, and expertise necessary to pursue specific career paths.

CTE includes a wide range of programs, such as:

• Construction

• Trades (plumbing, electrical, mechanical)

• 3D modeling

• Manufacturing, machining, and welding

• Small engine repair and autos

• Robotics

• Engineering (design, layout, CAD, etc.)

• CTE programs benefit all students, and help them gain employment skills, life skills, technical knowledge, and the training they need to thrive in today’s and tomorrow’s workforce. 

• CTE and career-ready programs offer the greatest chance for students sticking with school, graduating, and pursuing a career right out of high school, or choosing to enroll in college. 

• When our students can see how their learning directly correlates with what their goals are after high school, they stay engaged and focused. CTE programs help students make connections between school and the real world. 

• Through CTE programs, students can attain the skills they need in high school to be employable right after graduation. 

• CTE programs help students learn and practice critical 21st Century skills including creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. 

• CTE programs do so much more than simply prepare students for jobs in skilled careers. These programs create higher graduation rates, increase understanding in science and math, teach critical soft skills like creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, and help students explore potential career paths. 

• CTE associate degrees can pay $10,000 more per year than associate degrees in other fields – and can even pay more than bachelor’s degrees – while limiting student debt. 

• CTE is the answer to the nation’s projected deficit of 6.5 million skilled workers, including infrastructure and manufacturing work-force shortages. 

• CTE students earn industry certifications and licenses, postsecondary certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and higher. 

• Fulfills employer needs that are high skill, high wage, and high demand jobs. 

• This project takes the traditional “shop class” into the 21st Century and prepares students for relevant and meaningful careers right here in our community. 

The size and cost of the projects in this referendum are substantially more than the yearly operating budget for the school district. Battle Lake has done a good job of taking care of general upkeep of the building and paying for smaller projects over the years. However, when districts are faced with large projects (roofs, boilers, etc.), it becomes necessary to ask for voter approval through a passage of a school building bond. A bond spreads the payments over the useful life of the projects being proposed, helping to manage the tax impact for property and landowners. Major updates in our homes sometimes require an equity loan and a school district sometimes require voter approval for larger projects.