1640 Hwy 2 Two Harbors, MN 55616 | Phone: (218) 834-8201

School Finance 101

Understanding Minnesota school finance is no easy task. Trying to put it simply, we are a local governmental entity that must follow various rules, regulations, and laws at each governmental level. With each legislative session, changes in political leadership, and court decisions, we must change and accommodate how we run our schools. Many mandates dictate what programs and services districts must offer, and a large number of regulations that specify how certain funds must be used. It just isn’t as simple as balancing a personal checkbook or a business’ accounting books.
Despite the complex nature of school finance, we have created this section on our website in an effort to help our community members understand the foundation basics of it as well as our district standards we are providing for the needs of our staff and students. Below is a brief video created by the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials to help with a brief understanding of the various aspects included in School Finance.

One program area that is important to all MN Schools is Special Education. The cost to help provide services to students tends to be greater with students who have disabilities. This increased costs is partially covered by additional funding by State and Federal Entities, however almost 1/3 of those additional costs are covered by the district’s general fund. Below is another video that helps describe the funding gaps and the effects the mandates tend to have on our schools.

A publication that the MN House of Representatives produce each year provides greater detail of how the financing is accomplished in school districts. The most recent publication was update February 2020 and can be found at the link below.

District Events

September 2023

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
  • THHS Football (V) vs. Cloquet @ Stadium Field
2
3
4
5
6
  • THHS Football (C Game) vs. Duluth East @ Home
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Denfeld @ Denfeld
7
  • STORM - Cross Country (Boys V) @ Superior
  • THHS Football (Junior High) vs. Esko @ Stadium Field
  • THHS Girls Soccer (V) vs. Mesabi East @ Home
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C) v. Carlton @ HOME
  • THHS Volleyball (C/JV/V)vs. Barnum @ Home
8
  • School in session today!
  • THHS Football (V) Mora @ Mora
9
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) Spartan Relays @ Superior High School
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Hibbing @ Hermantown Stadium
  • THHS Volleyball (V)vs. Duluth Marshall @ Marshall
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C) v. Invitational @ Marshall
10
11
  • WKS- PTO Meeting
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV) vs. Duluth East @ Lowell Elementary
  • THHS Volleyball (C/JV/V)vs. Mesabi East @ Home
12
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) Mesabi East @ Mesabi East
  • WK Football (JH) @ Ely
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C/JH) @ Two Harbors
  • THHS Volleyball (JV/V) vs. Silver Bay @ Home
  • School Board Mtg @ WKS
  • THHS Girls Soccer (V) vs. Duluth East @ Home
13
14
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Cloquet @ Hilltop Fields
  • THHS Football (C Game) vs. Grand Rapids @ Grand Rapids
  • THHS Football (Junior High) vs. Cloquet @ Home
  • THHS Volleyball (Junior High) vs. Proctor @ Proctor
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C) v. Floodwood @ HOME
  • THHS Volleyball (JV/V)vs. Cook County @ Cook County
15
  • THHS Football (V) Pequot Lakes @ Pequot Lakes
16
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Big Lake @ Stadium Field
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) Hibbing High School @ Hibbing
17
18
  • WKS - College Fair in Hibbing
  • WKS - VB (JH) @ Ely
  • WKS Football (JH) v. Cook Cty @ HOME
  • THHS Volleyball (C/JV/V)vs. Duluth Marshall @ Marshall
19
  • THHS - Flu Clinic
  • THHS Volleyball (Junior High) vs. Lincoln Park @ Lincoln Park
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) Cloquet @ Cloquet
  • THHS Girls Soccer (V) vs. Esko @ Home
20
21
  • THHS Football (Junior High) vs. Mesabi East @ Mesabi East
  • THHS Volleyball (Junior High) vs. Hermantown @ Home
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Hermantown @ JV @ YMCA Field, V @ Centricity Stadium
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C) @ Cromwell-Wright
  • THHS Football (C Game) vs. Hibbing @ Home
  • THHS Volleyball (JV/V) vs. Moose Lake/Willow River @ Moose Lake/Willow River
22
  • THHS Football (V) Proctor @ Home
23
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs. Grand Rapids @ Grand Rapids
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) Invitational vs. Denfeld @ Lincoln Middle School
24
25
  • THHS Football (Junior High) vs. Proctor @ Home
  • THHS Volleyball (JV/V) vs. Proctor @ Home
  • THHS Football (C Game) vs. Mesabi East @ Mesabi East
26
  • THHS Volleyball (Junior High) vs. Moose Lake/Willow River @ Willow River High School
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) vs. Northeast Range @ Home
  • WKS Football (JH) v. Ely @ HOME
  • WKS - VB (V/JV) @ Lakeview Christian
27
  • WKS - Picture Day
  • MINN - Flu Clinic
  • THHS Girls Soccer (V) vs Mesabi East @ Mesabi East
28
  • WKS- Flu Shot Clinic
  • THHS Football (Junior High) vs. Barnum @ Barnum
  • THHS Volleyball (Junior High) vs. Cloquet @ Cloquet
  • THHS Swimming/Diving (V) vs. Proctor @ Home
  • WKS - VB (V/JV/C) @ Carlton-Wrenshall
29
  • THHS Football (V) vs. Esko @ Esko
30
  • THHS Girls Soccer (JV/V) vs Grand Rapids @ Grand Rapids