As a result of the unsuccessful levy last year, the District was forced to make nearly $800,000 in reductions for the 2025-2026 school year.
This included:
√ Eliminated teaching positions
√ Eliminated coaching and advisor positions
√ Increased and/or created fees for facility use and activities
√ Reduced/eliminated technology + curriculum subscriptions
√ Restructured administrative positions
√ Delayed bus replacement purchase
√ Eliminated bus routes
√ Reduced district budgets
Without the community’s support, ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS WILL NEED TO BE MADE. This will further impact the opportunities and experiences for Cannon Falls Area School District students.
If the levy is unsuccessful, the school board will cut another $700,000 in staff, programs, and services from the annual operating budget. They have identified the following items for consideration to reduce expenses and increase revenue:
• Eliminate teaching positions -Reducing the number of sections in the youngest grade levels and increasing class sizes to an average of 26 students per class
• Reduce Physical Education class to the State minimum
• Eliminate course offerings
• Charge for in-town bus usage
• Reduce classroom and department operating budgets
• Charge senior citizens and students to attend activities
• Increase facility rental and season pass fees
• Increase activity participation fees & eliminate the family cap
• Reduce coaching staff for golf
• Reduce support staff positions (administrative assistant, custodian, food service)
• Charge to view livestreaming of events
• Implement a 4 Day School Week
• Fund the fall musical through Community Education
The school board and district administration are committed to transparency. Please take time to attend one of the following meetings to better understand the District’s budget challenges and the proposed operating levy.
12:00- 1:00 P.M.
District Board Room (Please enter through Door #1) | 820 East Minnesota Street, Cannon Falls
5:00- 6:00 P.M.
Auditorium | 820 East Minnesota Street, Cannon Falls
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
6:00-7:00 P.M.
Auditorium | 820 East Minnesota Street, Cannon Falls
(Free childcare will be available during this meeting)
The State has added multiple mandates including: additional course requirements, paid Family Medical Leave, unemployment, discipline requirements, and mandated teacher training. All of these requirements cost additional money that the District needs to reallocate from our already strained budget.
Not Enough State Funding
The state funding formula, which provides school districts the majority of their funding, has not kept pace with inflation for the past 20 years, challenging school districts to do more with less. School Districts in Minnesota receive 18.6% less per student than they did in 2004. As a result, school districts are required to turn to their local community to address this deficit.
Watch this short video: Minnesota State Funding
The figures in the table below are based on school district taxes for the new referendum revenue authorization only and do not include tax levies for other purposes:
For the ballot question, the property tax portion of the revenue authorized will require an estimated referendum tax rate of 0.08743% for taxes payable in 2026 of the referendum market value of all classes of taxable property in the school district, as defined by Minnesota Statutes, Section 126C.01, Subdivision 3, which excludes certain agricultural property, seasonal property, and postsecondary student housing.
Agricultural property will pay taxes for the proposed referendum based only on the value of the house, garage and one acre of land. Seasonal recreational residential property (i.e., cabins) will pay no taxes for the proposed referendum.
FIND OUT YOUR TAX IMPACT BY VISITING: bit.ly/cf-taxcalc
