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After sharing the 2025–26 Mankato Area Public Schools demographic data, I received a number of thoughtful questions. This blog is designed to make the data more understandable and meaningful for our community. The 2025–26 enrollment figures reflect a snapshot of students enrolled in the district as of October 1, 2025. Enrollment: A Clear Downward Shift…
This vote was taken on February 2, 2026. I waited a couple of weeks before posting because I was told that my vote was perceived as unfair to one contract group, and I wanted to take time to reflect thoughtfully on that concern. I did not ask anyone to do something I would not be…
At the MSBA Delegate Assembly, school boards from across Minnesota were clear on one thing: while this is a policy year, not a bonding year, policy decisions still carry very real financial consequences for districts and students. Boards consistently raised concerns about well-intended policies that add new responsibilities without stable, long-term funding. Unfunded and underfunded…
On Thursday, January 22, I attended an ISD First Aid meeting focused on a detailed review of last year’s legislative session. Based on the materials they shared (linked below), I wrote a blog explaining how these policy and funding changes could affect our local school district. ISD First Aid is open to any Minnesota citizen,…
Buried inside Minnesota’s 2026–27 education budget are quiet shifts that matter: funding formulas change, long-standing programs disappear, and districts are asked to absorb new costs. This post walks through the proposals line by line and explains what’s budget-neutral, what isn’t, and why Mankato families should care
Elizabeth Hanke for Mankato School Board 