School Board Meeting Recap - March 23, 2026

001Hello, Bloomington Public Schools community. I'm School Board Chair Tom Bennett. And I'm Superintendent Eric Melbye. And we'd like to share some highlights from the March 23rd school board meeting. Yes, the board approved the new three year Achievement and Integration plan, also known as A & I. The A & I program was established to help close the state's academic achievement gap and increase integration opportunities for our students. Our latest framework aligns with our district Strategic Plan for student success. The board also approved increases to some building reservation rates for next school year, as well as stadium rental fees effective this April 15th. This will help us address rising operational costs in areas like staffing, utilities and maintenance. And finally, we accepted a $160,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Education to enhance the Emergency Medical Services pathway provided by our Bloomington Career and College Academy. This grant is so important because it will help educators address staffing shortages in the EMS workforce, connect students to opportunities in this in-demand field, and increase access to industry-related credentials through the pathway. That's great. Just another example of how Bloomington Public Schools is providing real-world opportunities for students. It is, I love it. We're really excited about this. And that's all we have for our March 23rd meeting recap. We'll see you again in April.