I usually don't respond to the negative letters to the editor but in this case, I will because Gary Tagtow's letter on May 17 was filled with false statements and inaccurate figures.
It is important that the people in the communities of the ACGC District know the truth when asked to vote on important issues such as the educational system and programs available for their children.
None of the people that have written negative letters with false information have even been in the school district office to get correct information.
In the past two weeks I have held meetings in each of the three communities to provide accurate information regarding the district. Ironically, I presented information on the same areas that Gary Tagtow chose to ridicule in his letter.
For example, the ACGC District teaching staff was reduced by 13 teachers from 2005-2006 to 2007-2008, a period of two years. This represents a 16 percent reduction. Tagtow said no reductions had been made.
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Tagtow mentioned a discrepancy of $5,000 per student. The Minnesota Department of Education recently released expenditure figures for all Minnesota districts. This report shows that, for the school year 2006-2007, the total PK-12 general fund expenditures per student for all sizes of school districts averaged $9,338 and the amount for ACGC was $8,924, or $414 per student less.
Currently, the South Elementary PK-4 programs utilize 17 classrooms and the North Elementary PK-4 programs use 26 classrooms. The junior-senior high school building has one classroom not being used. Where could 43 classrooms be located in the high school building when only one room is available? These are accurate figures that anyone is welcome to stop in and check.
The district is required to contract with an auditing firm that provides a complete audit to satisfy federal and state laws and regulations. This document is available at the district office.
The list of items cut over the last few years that amounts to $1,057,000 is available in the office.
