Voters in three southern Minnesota school districts headed to the polls Tuesday to decide the future of school funding and facilities, with two districts securing decisive victories by while a third saw its referendum fail.

Nicollet Public Schools celebrated a resounding endorsement from voters, with both referendum questions passing by wide margins. The operating levy increase of $1,014.76 per pupil for five years passed with nearly 69% support, while the $7.6 million building bond measure received 63% approval, according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State and Nicollet County Elections.

“I’m super excited. I’m ready to get started,” said Superintendent Robin Courrier following the results. “Let’s start planning to really enhance our programming and put Nicollet out front again.”

The operating levy will help maintain elementary class sizes of 15 to 20 students despite declining enrollment due to lower birth rates. The building bond will fund secure entrance improvements, career and technical education space expansion, agricultural department updates and deferred maintenance, including painting and floor replacement. Some projects could begin as early as February, with major work like secure entrance construction scheduled for summer months when students are not in session.

For a home valued at $289,000, the combined measures will increase annual property taxes by about $400, or roughly $33 per month. The state will cover approximately 70% of the cost for agricultural properties through farmland tax credits. Courrier credited the success to transparency about the district’s financial needs, noting she attended five to six community meetings at venues including the Nicollet Legion, Nicollet Mart and the school building. “I want to thank all the voters, whether they supported it or not, for coming out and voting, because it absolutely shows that you care about your school and you care about your community,” she said.

Madelia Public Schools also secured approval for both referendum questions, authorizing up to $30.5 million in facility improvements. Question one, seeking $22.5 million for critical infrastructure repairs, passed with 69.19% support, or 494 yes votes to 220 no votes. The contingent question two, asking for $8 million to construct an additional gymnasium, locker rooms and weight and training area, received 59.74% approval, or 420 yes votes to 283 no votes, with 714 voters participating in the special election, according to unofficial results from the Minnesota Secretary of State and the City of Madelia.

The $22.5 million will address what Superintendent Shelly Bauer described as buildings that “have reached a critical point where essential systems are failing regularly.” The funding includes roughly $6 million for roof and HVAC replacement at the elementary school, built in 1950 and renovated in 2003, and approximately $16.5 million in improvements to the high school, opened in 1957 and renovated in 1970. Bauer had emphasized before the election that roofs were no longer insurable, representing a critical safety and liability issue, and that annual maintenance budgets were insufficient to address aging infrastructure. For the owner of a $200,000 home, the combined measures will result in an annual property tax increase of about $312, or $26 per month.

Sibley East Public Schools did not see the same success. Voters rejected the operating levy referendum, which proposed a $650-per-pupil increase in general education revenue for 10 years, starting with taxes payable in 2026. Unofficial results from the Sibley County Elections Office showed 558 votes in favor, or 39.66%, and 849 votes opposed, or 60.34%, with all three precincts reporting.

Superintendent Lonnie Seifert issued the following statement regarding the results: “Thank you to all Sibley East School District residents who took the time to vote in the operating referendum special election on Tuesday, November 4. Unfortunately, the results were not what we had hoped for. The district will continue to provide the best possible education we can based on the financial resources available. The school board and administration will need to make some difficult economic decisions as we work toward a balanced budget and maintain the district’s financial stability.”

Tuesday’s elections highlighted common challenges facing rural Minnesota school districts, including aging facilities dating from the 1950s to 1970s requiring major updates, the need to maintain educational programming amid declining enrollment, and critical safety and security improvements. Both Nicollet and Madelia emphasized career and technical education expansion and secure entrance improvements in their proposals. Madelia’s focus on emergency infrastructure repairs, with roofs no longer insurable and HVAC systems failing, underscored the critical nature of deferred maintenance backlogs. All three districts emphasized transparency and community engagement in their referendum campaigns, holding multiple public meetings to explain financial needs and answer voter questions.

Official results for all three districts are available from the Minnesota Secretary of State and the respective county elections offices: Nicollet County, Sibley County, and the City of Madelia.