Anoka-Hennepin School Board —
Two meetings in one night: 9 speakers defend social workers, teacher non-renewals approved 5-0, preliminary FY27 budget previewed, ESP contract and new health insurance plan authorized — and a special meeting set the course for the superintendent search.
🚨 Superintendent Departing June 30 — Search Launched
Superintendent Cory McIntyre announced March 11 he will not renew his contract expiring June 30, 2026. At the March 23 special meeting, the board reached consensus on using an external search firm to conduct a search for a one-year contract with the possibility of a permanent appointment. Co-Chairs Langenfeld and Hoekman are leading firm selection, which must happen immediately — Dr. Cherry recommended posting by April 1 to allow a 30-day application window.
📚 Past School Board Recaps
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Meeting Overview
Regular Meeting: Monday, March 23, 2026 · 6:30 PM
Special Meeting: Monday, March 23, 2026 · 8:50 PM
Location: Sandburg Education Center, 1902 2nd Ave., Anoka
Presiding: Co-Chair Langenfeld (Hoekman & Simon remote)
Acting Clerk: Director Audette
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Duration: 229 minutes total (regular + special). No auto-captions available — this recap is based on the full transcript.
Detailed Meeting Recap
Regular Meeting — 6:30 PM📋 Consent Agenda — Approved 5-0
Director Audette moved, Director Arco seconded. Notable: Director Audette flagged the District Achievement and Integration Plan (4.I), calling its academic improvement goals “weak” and saying the board has seen “little evidence” the magnet schools are making measurable academic impact. Director Arco echoed, calling it a plan that “exists solely on the basis of discriminating racially.” Both said they would not pull it since the majority of the board supports it and the state provides the funding. All other items passed without discussion.
Two policies formally adopted on second read:
- Policy 410.0 — Paid Leave: Minnesota Paid Leave and FMLA run concurrently — they do not stack. Employees cannot use both sequentially for 24 weeks of leave.
- Policy 605.0 — Shared Time: New policy for students enrolled less than 50% in the district. No transportation provided; district discipline applies; credit-bearing courses only.
🎤 Item 5: Public Comment — 9 Speakers, All on Social Worker Cuts
Co-Chair Langenfeld reduced speaking time from 5 minutes to 2 minutes per speaker due to the volume of cards. Nine community members spoke — seven specifically about the reduction of social workers at Oxbow Creek Elementary (1,100+ students) from two positions to one. The testimony was the most emotional of any meeting this year.
Described specific cases where social workers prevented foster care placements, supported students through grief and cancer diagnoses, and helped teachers manage crisis situations in real time. Shared that her own children received social work services during her cancer diagnosis in 2020 — “children’s feelings don’t happen at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.” Her written remarks were submitted to the board in full.
Presented survey data: 72% of AHEOAP members are reconsidering district insurance; 82% — about 174 secretaries — are questioning whether they can afford to keep working here due to rising premiums. Quoted members: “My paychecks get smaller every year. I can’t add my children to my plan because it could cut my paycheck in half.” Asked the board to cover the 4% reserve amount and frontload HSA accounts above the proposed $750. “We chose this district knowing the superior benefits were the equalizer for our lower pay. That equalizer is gone.”
Described a typical day: helping anxious students get through the doors at arrival, diffusing behaviors in classrooms, bridging families to food and healthcare. “We are completely overwhelmed” even with two social workers — the second was only added in 2019 after 14 years alone. “Social work position will become purely reactive.” Invited any board member to shadow her for one hour. Called for a fall referendum or state funding to address the gap.
Demanded the board define a social worker-to-student ratio — a question she said she has asked before with no answer. “What is the plan?” Described what disappears with the cut: proactive small groups, daily check-ins, relationship building. “What’s left is crisis triaging our students instead of proactively reacting.” Asked the board to put a levy referendum on the ballot.
Described her son’s ADHD diagnosis journey — how the social worker helped navigate the 504 plan, ran small groups, and turned him into “one of the top students in his class.” “By cutting school social worker staffing down to one person for 1,100 children, we’re without question cutting very capable students off at the knees.”
Addressed the board directly: “I have anxiety and she has helped me with it since first grade. With her help, I have gotten a lot better. Without her, I don’t think a lot of kids would be doing as well as they are right now.” A fourth-grader speaking at a school board meeting about keeping his social worker was the most powerful moment of the evening.
Revealed that Oxbow’s two social workers already work an average of 20–30 extra hours per week between them just to meet student needs — “that’s with two.” Asked the board to give the community the opportunity to vote on a levy: “It’s not just about budgets, it’s about priorities. And right now, this decision sends a very clear message about where student mental health falls.”
Advocated for formal student representation on the school board. Surveyed approximately 40 peers, who agreed on the need for student voices in major decisions. Director Deschene noted she had previously raised this idea and expressed continued interest in pursuing it.
Broadened the frame beyond Oxbow Creek: “There are feelings just like this all over the district right now.” Acknowledged a hard truth directly: “We should have passed a levy a few years ago.” Announced an emergency community meeting on the Parents for Good Facebook page for the next day. “Our communities need to reprioritize, and our kids have to come first.”
📅 Item 6: Superintendent’s Report
McIntyre highlighted winter athletics: Blaine boys basketball advanced to state (first tournament since 2016); Blaine girls basketball made their seventh state appearance; Andover boys hockey reached state (6th seed); Champlain Park freshman Pangju Lure won the state one-meter diving championship; Anoka-Hennepin had 12 state wrestling participants. Also: Blaine junior Tason Scoffield named to Minnesota’s all-state math team; six AH educators nominated for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Community events: Indian Education pow-wow at Champlain Park on April 11 (free, public); social studies curriculum community review night April 8 at the Educational Services Center, 5:00–6:30 PM.
✂️ Items 7A & 7B: Teacher Non-Renewals — Approved 5-0
Director of Employee Services Shelley Leciejewski presented both resolutions as standard annual staffing cycle items required by Minnesota statute.
- 7A — Probationary Teachers (Appendix M): Teachers in their first three years in the district. Provides “flexibility to manage our workforce for the next academic year.” Moved by Audette, seconded by Arco. No discussion. Passed 5-0.
- 7B — Tier 1/2 Licensed Teachers (Appendix N): Tier 1 and Tier 2 licenses are issued to meet immediate and temporary staffing needs. Non-renewals allow the district to post positions and recruit Tier 3/4 licensed candidates as prioritized by state guidelines. Moved by Arco, seconded by Audette. No discussion. Passed 5-0.
💰 Items 8A & 8B: Budget — Present and Future
CFO Michelle Vargas presented both items back to back. 8A will return for a vote on April 27; 8B is informational only at this stage.
8A — FY26 Amended Budget (Informational — Vote April 27)
- Pupil units up 331 from projection → 41,017 estimated for the year
- Revenue increase: +$1.97 million (+0.3%) — driven by additional pupil-based state formula
- Expenditure decrease: -$8.2 million (-1.1%) — primarily from $7.5M prior-year budget reductions, $6M health insurance reduction (staff migration off plan, family-to-single shifts), partially offset by $4.4M teacher settlement overage and $1M contract services increase
- Operating deficit reduced to $5.8 million; unassigned fund balance projected at $66.3M (11.9%)
- Community Service Fund: minor $24K revenue adjustment, $54K expenditure decrease; fund balance stable at $10.7M
Director Audette: “Our budgeting process continues to lack a degree of transparency that would be required for a board member who wants to do a good job… I’ve been asking for the ability to review in public, in great detail, how we’re spending our money — not like this where we just see hundreds of millions of dollars on a page, but on a position-by-position basis.” He said he would continue voting no on budgets until zero-based budgeting is adopted.
Director Arco echoed, linking the ESSER spending decision — “previous boards chose to spend one-time money on recurring expenses… that is a reaction I would expect from my children, not from the experts.” He offered to support a referendum only if zero-based budgeting is first conducted: “If we’re not going to verify that the money we have is being spent well, then I’m not going to go and ask the public for more money.”
Director Deschene pushed back strongly: forensic audits are done annually with “glowing reports”; finance staff provide extensive spreadsheets and direct access; “it is transparent. It is hard to understand, but it is transparent.” Director Simon said board members should do their own homework with resources already available. Co-Chair Langenfeld suggested the real issue is a lack of shared understanding of which budget strategy — incremental, zero-based, or needs-based — is being used.
8B — Preliminary FY27 General Fund Budget (Informational)
- Revenue: +$10.9M total. CPI 2.69% → formula rises from $7,481 to $7,683/pupil unit (+$22); compensatory aid -$4.4M (hold-harmless expired — still being debated at legislature); special ed revenue +$7.5M; EL aid +$2.3M; EL cross-subsidy first year +$2.6M (then offset -$3.7M as prior transfer decreases)
- Expenditures: +$5.6M net. Compensation +$19.1M (2.5% salary + TRA/PERA/FICA/work comp/MN Paid Leave + 5% health/dental); one-time teacher payments +$2.6M; Phase 3 cuts -$8.1M; services +$2.6M (utilities + 5% transportation year 2); strategic investment positions -$5.15M
- Adjusted operating deficit: $5.7M — majority in compensatory fund balance, not unassigned. Unassigned hit: approximately $100K. Projected fund balance: 11.7%
- Key unknowns: compensatory hold-harmless at legislature; between-terms unemployment funding ($2.5-3M annually); MN Paid Leave rate adjustment; investment earnings (budgeted at 4.6M assuming ~3%); health insurance internal service fund deficit resolution
- State forecast: $3.7B surplus current biennium but $3.6B structural deficit for 2028-29 — one-time money cannot solve ongoing needs
- Next steps: May 18 all-funds presentation; May 22 adoption vote within statutory timeline
🤝 Item 9A: ESP 2025-2027 Master Agreement — Approved 5-0
Dr. Jennifer Cherry (Chief Human Resources Officer) presented. Education Support Professionals represented by Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota have ratified a new two-year agreement.
- Term: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027
- Step movement both years + salary schedule improvements Year 1
- Early childhood screeners: +$0.52/hr Year 1, +$0.53/hr Year 2
- Community school programmers: +$1.00/hr Year 1, +$1.50/hr Year 2
- Medical insurance contributions: +$40 single/$75 family per month Year 1; +$95 single/$255 family per month Year 2
- Dental: +$5/month Year 2
- Total package: 10.84% / $49,000 in new money / $900,000+ over 2 years
Moved by Arco, seconded by Deschene. No discussion. Passed 5-0.
🏥 Item 9B: Medical Insurance Plan Design — Approved 5-0
Dr. Cherry and Todd Mensink (Director of Labor Relations & Benefits) presented. The district is self-funded with ~$85M in its internal service fund; Medica serves as third-party administrator.
The problem being solved:
- Claims trend has been running above 10% annually — far above national averages
- This led to a 22% premium increase set for 2025-26
- About 900 of ~10,000 plan members have migrated off the plan — but the claims experience of those remaining vs. those who left is not significantly different
What’s changing:
Converting the current 80/20 plans (with $1,500 single / $3,000 family deductibles) to High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) aligned with the state PEIP Tier 2 design:
- New minimum deductibles: $1,700 single / $3,400 family (IRS minimum for HDHP)
- Prescriptions now included in deductible (previously carved out)
- Employees gain access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) — triple tax-advantaged, unlike the current use-it-or-lose-it FSA
- The highest-cost “choice” plan with broad open-access network is not changing
- GLP-1 weight loss coverage: not eliminated (would have saved 3.5-4% but committee could not reach consensus)
Employee survey results:
- 1,300+ responses; 56% preferred moving to an HDHP; of those, the majority chose the PEIP-style plan (less risky) over the simpler high-deductible option
- Insurance committee met March 18 for 2+ hours with 9 bargaining units present — every group reached consensus on the HDHP option one
Important clarification from Director Simon:
The 3.9% savings means the rate increase will be 3.9% smaller — not that premiums will be 3.9% lower. Employees will still see a premium increase next year; the plan change reduces how large that increase is. Specific rates will be set at the April planning session once Q1 2026 claims data arrives.
Moved by Audette, seconded by Arco. Passed 5-0. Regular meeting adjourned at 8:42 PM.
Special Meeting — 8:50 PM🔍 Superintendent Succession Planning
Co-Chair Langenfeld presided. Dr. Jennifer Cherry and General Counsel Tim Palmatier joined the board at the table. This was the board’s first formal discussion of the succession process.
The timeline reality:
- 14 weeks / 69 work days remaining before July 1 target
- 6 scheduled board meetings and work sessions before that date
- A typical full superintendent search takes 5-6 months
- Dr. Cherry: applications need to post by approximately April 1 with a 30-day window
The key debate — interim vs. permanent:
The board discussed options at length. Director Arco advocated for a full permanent search: “I would be stunned if we didn’t get people lining up out the door for a $300,000 job at the largest school district in Minnesota.” Director Simon leaned toward interim, citing conversations with six current and retired superintendents who warned about a compressed candidate pool. Director Deschene suggested an interim with the explicit option of converting to permanent. Co-Chair Langenfeld, drawing on her own experience as an associate superintendent hired in June with three hours of transition time, said the team in place could support either path.
Where the board landed — consensus:
- External search firm will be used — not a purely internal process. Co-Chairs Langenfeld and Hoekman will evaluate firms and make a recommendation, ideally for approval before the next regular meeting via a special meeting.
- One-year contract will be posted, explicitly marketed with the possibility of becoming permanent. Director Arco’s framing: “go for interim, with option of permanent if the board aligns on that person.”
- Internal and external candidates welcome. Multiple members expressed interest in internal candidates — Director Simon noted an internal hire would know the district, relationships, and what needs improvement.
- Board sees all applicants — not just firm-curated finalists, as happened in the previous search. Simon: “I complained about that at the time, too.” The board will set up a ranking process with the firm.
- Leadership profile development begins immediately. Co-Chairs will ping board members this week to gather criteria — Dr. Cherry noted the firm helps facilitate this process.
- Confidentiality protections matter. General Counsel Palmatier confirmed applicants are not public until they become “finalists.” The firm manages confidentiality to attract sitting superintendents who won’t apply otherwise.
Special meeting adjourned at 10:03 PM.
ABAH PAC Accountability Lens
✅ What the board got right:
- Held the special meeting publicly. The board could have discussed succession in closed session; they didn’t. Every word of the search discussion is on the public record and on video.
- Committed to seeing all applicants. The previous search gave the board only finalists. This board explicitly rejected that approach — a meaningful accountability improvement.
- ESP contract settled cleanly. 10.84% over two years, $900K+ total — no labor conflict.
- Insurance committee process was genuinely inclusive. Nine bargaining units, 1,300+ employee survey responses, two committee meetings. The outcome isn’t perfect but the process was substantive.
- Nolan Zilki got to speak. A fourth-grader addressing the board about his social worker — and the board listening — is exactly what public participation is for.
⚠️ What demands follow-through:
The superintendent search timeline is razor-thin
The board needs to select a firm, approve a contract, build a leadership profile, post the position, collect applications, screen them, interview, and negotiate — all before June 30. Every week of delay narrows the pool and compresses the process. Co-Chairs Langenfeld and Hoekman are carrying this — the rest of the board needs to respond immediately when polled on the leadership profile.
Budget transparency remains unresolved
Directors Audette and Arco have been raising the same concern for months — and Co-Chair Langenfeld correctly identified that the board doesn’t have a shared understanding of which budget strategy is being used. That’s a governance gap. Whether you agree with zero-based budgeting or not, the board should be able to articulate to the public why decisions are made — and currently two members say they cannot. That’s not acceptable for a $780M organization.
Social worker ratio — still no answer
Mara Neermmyer asked a direct question: what is the district’s defined social worker-to-student ratio? She said she has asked multiple times with no response. That answer should be publicly posted. If the district has no ratio policy, that itself is the answer — and it should be on the record.
Health insurance — employees need plain-language guidance now
Open enrollment is the first week of June. Employees switching to an HDHP need to understand how HSAs work, what their actual premium will be, and how to model their expected out-of-pocket costs. The education campaign mentioned by Todd Mensink needs to begin as soon as rates are set in April.
💡 What residents should demand:
- Superintendent search timeline posted publicly — specific dates for firm selection, posting, application window, interviews, and announcement. Not a vague “we’re working on it.”
- Social worker-to-student ratio policy — or a public acknowledgment that no such policy exists.
- Plain-language insurance impact summary — what changes, what it costs per employee tier, effective September 1.
- Full list of the 75 eliminated positions — by title and school. Public records request if needed.
- Board response to student Tamari Smith’s request for formal student representation — yes or no, with reasoning, on the record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Anoka-Hennepin cutting social workers?
The district is eliminating approximately 75 positions as part of an $8.1M Phase 3 budget reduction driven by declining enrollment, the expiration of federal COVID relief funds, inflation, and rising health insurance costs. Oxbow Creek Elementary is losing one of its two social workers despite serving over 1,100 students — a 50% cut in mental health support at one of the state’s largest elementary schools.
Who is replacing superintendent Cory McIntyre?
No replacement has been named. The board reached consensus on March 23 to use an external search firm to post a one-year contract position with the explicit possibility of permanent appointment. The search must move immediately — the goal is to post by approximately April 1 with a 30-day application window. Co-Chairs Langenfeld and Hoekman are leading the firm selection.
What is the Anoka-Hennepin FY27 budget deficit?
The preliminary FY27 budget shows an adjusted operating deficit of $5.7 million, with the majority in the compensatory fund balance. Even with $8.1M in Phase 3 cuts, $19.1M in compensation increases and other pressures produce a net deficit. The unassigned fund balance impact is approximately $100K, with a projected fund balance of 11.7%. The full budget will be presented May 18 and voted on May 22.
What changed with Anoka-Hennepin’s health insurance?
The board approved converting the 80/20 plans to High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) aligned with the state PEIP Tier 2 design, with minimum deductibles of $1,700 single / $3,400 family and prescriptions now included in the deductible. The change reduces the upcoming premium increase by 3.9% — but premiums will still increase. Employees gain access to Health Savings Accounts. Specific rates will be set in April when more claims data is available. Open enrollment is the first week of June; the new plan year starts September 1.
Sources
- School Board Meeting Video — 3/23/26 (YouTube, 229 min)
- BoardBook — Regular Meeting Agenda (March 23, 2026)
- BoardBook — Special Meeting Agenda (Superintendent Succession)
- AHSchools.us — Action of the School Board summaries
- District press release — McIntyre departure announcement
- KARE 11 — 75 position cuts coverage
- Full meeting transcript — Anoka-Hennepin Educational Service Center, March 23, 2026
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