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Funding to Schools
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Funding to Schools

Funding to Schools

How does MPS decide how much money each school receives?

MPS funds schools based on each school’s unique needs and programming

Factors influencing how much money each school receives, including projected enrollment and targeted class sizes, number of students who receive free and reduced-price lunches, number of students recieving special education services, number of students learning english, school specific programming and school leadership needs.

What funding decisions are made at the school level? 

Site Councils are involved in all aspects of a school’s budget

 

School level funding decisions. Principals work with Site Councils to determine and communicate school needs, site councils can influence how some school funding is used in the school. Compensatory and Title I dollars also have some optional uses if in compliance with the law.

 

  • Site Councils and principals can work together on the front end to identify key funding or programming needs for the schools, so that principals can communicate those needs to the school district.
     
  • Once the schools are notified of the school’s actual allotment, principals will look again to the Site Council for input on how some of those dollars are spent.
     
  • While Compensatory and Title I dollars are designated for specific uses, choices for how to use those dollars may be possible.
     
  • For information on getting involved in your school’s Site Council, please go to your school’s website or principal.

 

 
School funding details

Each school in Minneapolis is unique and its funding is, too. At the same time, MPS reviews the same factors for each school to determine what dollars should be allotted to that school:

  • First, we estimate the projected number of students coming to each school based on historical data and any emerging issues.
  • Second, available compensatory dollars are based on the number of free and reduced lunch students. Title I dollars also are allocated based on free and reduced lunch counts in the schools. 
  • Third, Special Education sites are given the dollars to staff each Special Education citywide classroom with a teacher, and Special Education Assistants, along with support from Social Workers.
  • Fourth, English Learner dollars are given to schools based on the number of students learning English as their second or sometimes third language. The current ratio is one English Learner teacher to 50 students. These dollars must be used to fund teachers.
  • Integration dollars currently go out to schools with an AVID program. Other funding is designated for other special programming, such as for magnet programs, advanced academic programs like IB or Concurrent Enrollment, special time adjustments, etc.
  • Finally, schools receive leadership staffing dollars based on a formula including numbers of students per school.