ISD 2142 sets $6.83 million preliminary levy

REGIONAL—The St. Louis County Schools board approved a preliminary property tax levy of $6,829,836 during its Sept. 22 meeting at South Ridge, a roughly 1.5 percent decrease from the district’s 2026 levy.
The preliminary levy does not set the district’s final tax obligation. The board approved the maximum preliminary amount allowed in order to preserve flexibility while the district works with the Minnesota Department of Education.
“It is a way to make sure that as the district is working with MDE, that we have all options available to the district,” said district Superintendent Brian Masterson.
Also at the meeting, the board approved transferring cheerleading funds for Cherry and North Woods to the schools’ community education programs. The change follows the district’s decision to no longer offer cheerleading as an MSHSL activity. Cheerleading will continue through community education programs, allowing students at both schools to participate, although students will no longer be eligible to earn an MSHSL letter for the activity.
The board also tabled a proposed 2026-29 Indigenous Education Strategic Direction. Rather than approving the plan immediately, members decided to discuss it more fully at an upcoming working session. The board is expected to consider the plan for approval in October.
At the meeting, the board also approved new staff hires for the year, including teaching, support and coaching staff. Those hires include: Blake Scofield, an elementary special education teacher at North Woods; Sara DeBruzzi, a Title I teacher at Northeast Range; Shayler Lislegard, an elementary and computer science teacher at North Woods; Valerie Hernandez, a Title I and ADSIS teacher at Tower-Soudan; and Alaine Brodeen, an ECFE educator at North Woods.
In other business, the board:
 Approved a contract with Costin Group, which helps the district with advocacy and efforts to secure state funding for local projects, including capital and building projects
 Approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Education Minnesota Local 1406