Mpls. school board approves new budget

The Minneapolis School Board approved an $840 million budget Tuesday night after what board members called a more transparent budgeting process than in years past.

The plan sends 65 percent of general fund money directly to schools, nearly the same portion as this year. The percent of money going to district administrator positions also remained steady at about five percent.

Expenses come in about $6 million over revenue in the budget, a gap the district says it will cover using existing investment funds.

Board Chairperson Jenny Arneson said with competing budget priorities, the district will need to stay focused on its goals in the coming year.

"I know that our parents have to remain increasingly generous, and our teachers have to remain increasingly patient as we work with the resources we have, and always hope for a better budget next year as well," Arneson said.

Interim Superintendent Michael Thomas praised this year's budgeting process at Tuesday's board meeting.

"The level of transparency and engagement that we had this year was a very new process for us," he said. "It's that saying you never want to see sausage being made but you like to eat a good hot dog? Well a lot of people saw how sausage was made."

The Minneapolis district faced unplanned budget deficits this year and last year, problems that officials say new financial practices have solved.