Voters in the Duluth Public School District will consider a capital projects levy during an election on Tuesday, May 14. If approved, the levy will provide approximately $5.2 million per year for 10 years to improve and maintain the district’s digital infrastructure. A majority of voters must approve the referendum for this funding to be provided to schools.

A capital projects levy is a local property tax approved by voters for specific infrastructure, technology or transportation projects. Unlike an operating levy, which taxes only homes and businesses, a capital projects levy is spread across all types of properties, which lowers the tax burden on local homeowners.

Learning technology and digital infrastructure is about more than just devices for students and staff. While approximately 17% of the levy’s funding would go toward maintenance and upgrades for devices, the majority of the proposed investments aim to support a diverse range of digital tools to enhance learning and improve the physical safety and cybersecurity of Duluth Public Schools. These investments include equipment and software for career and technical education classes, online curriculum, classroom technology, cybersecurity and building security upgrades, and ongoing maintenance and staff training.

Learn more about what’s included in the plan here.

Duluth Public Schools is committed to providing students with the resources they need to get the most out of their learning. A strong digital infrastructure is critical to making this a reality. Whether it’s software to support our career and technical education classes or cybersecurity protections to keep student and family data safe, technology helps our district strengthen student learning and keep our schools safe and secure.

Without additional funding, we cannot make these comprehensive improvements to our digital infrastructure without impacting existing staff and student services.

Technology is critical to modern learning, student safety, and the district’s ability to communicate quickly and effectively with the community. Currently, Duluth Public Schools does not have a regular replacement cycle for technology, and important tools like security cameras, technical education equipment, and learning software are very outdated.

The referendum aims to update building security and cybersecurity measures to protect student safety and information, upgrade basic digital infrastructure like internet and phone networks, and provide students with industry-standard tools they need to learn modern career skills in fields like nursing, design, engineering, and agriculture.

Duluth Public Schools proposed a similar capital projects levy during a referendum in November 2023. That measure – the second of two questions on the ballot – failed by less than 300 votes. In January, school board members unanimously voted to propose a levy to voters again given the importance of these investments for students.

The levy would support the same goals as the November plan, but with an added emphasis on upgrades for career and technical education technology. The cost of the May levy – $5.2 million annually – is the same as it was in November.

If the referendum fails, our schools will be unable to make updates to classroom technology, software, security, and digital infrastructure that are critical to student learning. Without the levy, addressing these needs would require the district to cut spending on other areas of student learning.