ISD 191 committee: immigration-related activity drives surge in virtual enrollment and prompts safety funding ask

Unidentified Speaker 3 told the ISD 191 legislative committee that increased immigration-related activity in the community has shifted student needs and school operations, producing a surge in demand for online learning and new safety concerns. "We've seen a 450% increase in elementary spots in our virtual online academy," the speaker said, adding a 150% increase at the middle level and a 25% increase at the high school level.

The speaker told the committee the district had "lost" roughly 100 students before a recent conference and estimated a fiscal impact of about $10,000 per student, or roughly $1,000,000 in lost revenue (figure provided as an estimate by the presenter). The speaker also said 14 of those students had resurfaced and staff were working to re-enroll or reintegrate them into in-person or online programs.

The committee discussed operational strain, with Unidentified Speaker 3 saying staff and cultural liaisons were "stretched" to meet individual family needs and that the district was relying on a navigator model to support displaced students. The speaker also reported reports from principals, neighbors and staff of "staging activities" on district properties and raised concerns about activity around bus stops.

As a potential legislative ask, the speaker proposed increasing the state's safe-schools per-pupil allocation from the current amount (stated in the meeting as $36 per pupil) to $100 per pupil, saying such an increase "would generate almost 800,000 more dollars" for the district if realized. The committee did not adopt a formal motion; Unidentified Speaker 3 said the district's leadership and staff would craft a clear funding request to present to legislators.

Separately, the speaker said the district is exploring a local security option: purchasing a vehicle and hiring a person to patrol targeted locations such as bus stops, based on data, and that staff member Stacy was tasked to "flush that out." Unidentified Speaker 4 also asked whether legislators could provide tools to address activity near buses and stops.

The committee noted contacts the district has made with state officials: Director Petrovsky helped arrange a conversation with the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner Jett reaffirmed support at a recent conference, which the presenter said provided some flexibility on timing or process questions the committee had raised.

Next steps the committee identified were to have staff draft a concise legislative ask for review in one-on-one meetings and at the March 2 retreat, and to raise the issue during MSBA/MASA Day on the Hill meetings planned for March 9.

The committee did not take a formal vote on funding requests or on the local security proposal during the meeting.