In fiscal year 2020, Independent School District 196 spent less per pupil on general fund operating expenditures than the averages for school districts statewide, in the metro area, and Minnesota’s 10-largest districts. While spending less per pupil in total, District 196 spent a higher percentage on regular classroom instruction compared to the averages statewide, in the metro area and the 10-largest districts.

Each spring, the Minnesota Department of Education makes available financial data for all public operating elementary and secondary independent school districts in the state. District 196 is the state’s fourth largest district. Comparable expenditure data for FY 2020 shows that District 196 spent less per pupil than the averages for the state, metro area and 10-largest districts in four of the 10 categories of the general fund, including district administration, operations and maintenance, pupil support services, and transportation. Conversely, in the category of regular instruction, District 196 spent approximately $303 more per pupil than the average for districts statewide and $215 more per pupil than the average for districts in the metro area. The regular instruction average for the 10-largest districts was higher, but not as a percentage of total general fund expenditures compared to District 196.

Expenditures Per Pupil in Fiscal Year 2020

* Category where District 196 spent less per pupil than the averages for the state, metro area and 10 largest districts.

** The 10 largest school districts in Minnesota in FY 2020 were, in order from largest: Anoka-Hennepin, St. Paul, Minneapolis, District 196, Osseo, South Washington County, Rochester, Elk River, Robbinsdale and Wayzata.