Referendum Commitments

In November 2024, the community voted to approve the Ignite Student Learning Referendum. This webpage is dedicated to providing the community with updates on how these dollars are being spent.

Commitment

2024 Estimate

2025-2026 Proposed Budget

Create a new position to coordinate and expand career and technical education programs 

$121,000 

$88,116 

CTECH career and technical education programming 

$1,347,085 

$1,388,593 

Industrial technology and other career and technical education classes 

$2,971,848 

$3,293,020 

Strategic plan initiative to ensure all students have strong plans for postsecondary education and a career planning and the knowledge and skills to implement their plans 

$221,000 

$218,353 

The PTECH partnership with RCTC, IBM, and Mayo Clinic 

$783,427 

$707,169 

Create a new position to coordinate submission of grants to state and federal governments and private foundations 

$121,000 

$95,941 

Create a new position to seek and coordinate donations from individuals and businesses to support athletics, arts, and other activities and initiatives 

$121,000 

$0

Media specialists at elementary schools 

$1,310,770 

$1,326,581 

Project SEARCH at Mayo Clinic 

$258,862 

$277,292 

Reading specialists and curriculum to support implementation of the science of reading from early childhood through high school 

$516,235 

$189,245 

Sustain the driver’s education program for low-income students 

$88,317 

$50,000 

The CAPE parent education and empowerment program 

$185,760 

$205,564 

The Launching Emerging Adults Program (LEAP) 

$455,822 

$377,025 

Advanced learning positions and services (formerly gifted and talented) 

$1,479,770 

$1,601,585 

Funding for integrating deeper learning into all academic subjects 

$1,200,000 

$1,156,002 

Middle school music positions and support 

$664,173 

$1,333,687 

Project Lead the Way at the middle school level 

$970,704 

$817,507 

RPS staff and programming at Quarry Hill Nature Center 

$253,567 

$289,823 

Support operation of the Planetarium at Mayo High School 

$90,315 

$107,874 

Community Schools coordinator positions and programming to provide students and families with assistance with housing, food, clothing, and other sources of support 

$808,920 

$592,810 

Implement mental health screening at all schools to identify students who need support 

$27,000 

$27,000 

School counselor positions 

$5,404,522 

$5,672,481 

Total

$19,401,097 

$19,815,668