RESOURCES

Return to this section often as new Resources will be added.

ISD 110 Levy Request Aims to Maintain What Matters Most

By Superintendent Brian Gersich

(This Guest Column appeared in the October 16, 2025 edition of The Patriot)

The Waconia Public Schools team is honored to have tremendous support from our parents, local residents, and community partners. In an independent survey of ISD 110 residents conducted in the spring of 2025, 91% rated the quality of education provided by ISD 110 as excellent or good, 93% rated the job performance of teachers and instructional staff as excellent or good, and 88% agreed that our community receives a good value from its investment in Waconia Public Schools. 

We know that strong schools help build strong communities. And we know that in our case, the reverse is also true: strong communities help build strong schools. This is a positive reinforcement loop we benefit from in our community. 

ISD 110 is now at a financial crossroads. Having made difficult but necessary budget adjustments to ensure we remain fiscally responsible, including $4.6 million in budget adjustments implemented in the fall of 2023, Waconia Public Schools emerged from several years of Statutory Operating Debt to achieve our first positive general fund balance since 2017. While the progress reflects tough decisions and community-wide sacrifice, the District must continue careful planning to prepare for increasing costs. 

State funding for schools is not equal for all districts. District 110 ranks in the bottom 2% of all Minnesota schools in per-pupil funding from the State of Minnesota, which makes our district more reliant on the local community for financial support. While past generous approvals from ISD 110 voters have helped, even with existing local operating referendums in place, ISD 110 still ranks in the bottom 25% for overall per-pupil operating revenue. In short, we are tasked with doing more with less than most other Minnesota districts. 

Increasing costs will stress our future budgets. Our budget projections demonstrate our revenues will fall short of our expenses, making it necessary to do one of two things: increase revenues or decrease expenditures. On the ballot for our community is the consideration to increase district revenue by approximately $3 million annually. The purpose of the funds is not to add trendy new programming or initiatives, but rather an attempt to maintain what district residents say they value most about Waconia Public Schools: teachers and staff, programs, and class sizes. 

We have very talented teachers and staff, and have a strong belief that we need to provide competitive salaries and benefits to ensure we attract and retain employees who are proud to work for our district and are highly regarded for their skills. We also want to protect the wide variety of academic and extracurricular opportunities for our students to explore their passions and create their success. And further, we understand the importance of having competitive class sizes in our community. 

Alternatively, if the measure does not pass, the result will be a need to reduce costs. Because more than 80% of a school district's budget is tied to salaries and benefits, it inevitably means staffing reductions, which will impact our ability to maintain investments in the areas mentioned. That means increased class sizes, fewer course offerings, and an inability to maintain market competitiveness in our employee salaries and benefits.

We are proud of all that Waconia Public Schools has to offer our community. You can learn more about our referendum, including the need, plan, and cost of the measure, by going to www.isd110referendum.org. Then we ask that you take time to vote, on or before November 4.