Since September 2024, residents of the Robbinsdale Area Schools District have been acutely aware of the dire financial state that led our district into Statutory Operating Debt (SOD). The looming threat of school closures has only heightened our collective anxiety. Despite these critical challenges, our district’s administration has opted to invest time in fostering what feels like an illusion of community engagement, creating the Vision Team 2030, and allowing them nine months to produce recommendations devoid of concrete solutions. Adding to the confusion, the administration's vague notion of the "Reimagine Rdale" initiative has left many RDale community members bewildered and divided. It’s an inopportune time for ambiguity when clarity and decisive action are required. Our community deserves a chance to explore all viable solutions thoroughly, lest we rush into decisions that we might regret.

Therefore, we are demanding that the Robbinsdale Area Schools District request a 90-day extension to the SOD deadline as it pertains to school closures only from the state of Minnesota for the following reasons:  

1) The district has failed to provide the following:

a) A school-by-school matrix with capacity, utilization rates, 10-year capital needs, operating cost per student, Title 1 status, demographics,

specialized programming, and academic outcomes.

b) The weights and scoring of why these Title 1 schools and no other elementary schools rose to the top of recommendations, an

c) A formal equity impact analysis for Title I, race, English learners, special education, IB at Lakeview, and programs like Waves/Stars and TLC at Sonnesyn. 

2) The district has not effectively shown that the ~$4.8 million cuts from administrative operations are the maximum amount that can be taken. The district needs to provide:  

a) A clear “before & after” side-by-side comparison of central office staffing levels (cabinet, directors, coordinators, support) before and after the cuts.

b) Total salary and benefits before and after for those positions; and  

c) A list of the positions eliminated, and a list of new or upgraded central positions created during the same period, with the net recurring savings.

If decisions are made now based on a rushed, initial planning phase, the risk of irreversible harm to our students is high. The district can, and should, take steps to correct its mistakes to date and ensure the best possible, equitable outcome for the RAS District. Help us secure the time we need for thoughtful deliberation and planning. Sign our petition to demand a 90-day extension on the SOD deadline, and support a future where the Robbinsdale Area Schools District flourishes, backed by strong community involvement and robust educational foundations.