I’m running for school board so we have a conservative majority stewarding your tax dollars, giving our students an academic advantage
My name is Rick Storlie. I’m a Christian, husband, father of 7 and small business owner, Iiving in Credit River. Thank you for your support and vote!
- Results
- Stewardship
- Leadership
Building a Destination District for the Future
To me, a “destination district” means four things are true at the same time:
- Students getting an excellent education,
- Families trusting the people leading it by moving into, or staying in the district,
- Teachers and staff wanting to work here, and
- A community that’s genuinely proud to invest in its schools.
I don’t want to just replay the district’s past. I want to build something modern enough to serve the students sitting in our classrooms right now, and the next generation coming up behind them.
Results. Stewardship. Leadership.
Shift the focus from inputs to outcomes — from what the district spends to what students actually learn. Knowledge and discipline first, then critical thinking. Classrooms that educate students, not recruit them.
Every public dollar should have a clear purpose, an expected benefit, a way to measure it, and transparent reporting. Spend more when the evidence supports it — improve, replace, or reallocate when it doesn't.
Govern, don't micromanage. Set clear goals, ask for evidence before approving initiatives, hold district leadership accountable, and report honestly — including when progress isn't happening.
Return on Education
What do I Mean by “Return on Education?”
I use a simple test for every dollar the district spends, I call it Return on Education. It’s not a slogan. It’s just a habit of asking the same honest questions every time:
- What student need is this dollar actually meant to support?
- What’s the evidence it’ll work?
- What result should we expect?
- How will we measure it weekly, monthly and quarterly?
- How long before we know if it’s working?
- Is this spending something the board controls, or something required by law or restricted by funding?
- If it doesn’t deliver, what is the process for changing course?
Most district spending falls into one of three buckets:
Direct Educational Return
- Classroom instruction
- Curriculum & materials
- Literacy & math intervention
- Special education services
- Career & technical education
- Teacher development tied to needs
Enabling Educational Return
- Safe, orderly schools
- Reliable facilities
- Student transportation
- Technology infrastructure
- Teacher recruitment & retention
- Behavioral & student support
Required Spending
- State & federal mandates
- Special-education requirements
- Restricted grants & funding
- Employee contracts
- Legal obligations
- Existing debt & commitments
That last category still has to be managed responsibly, but I think the board owes taxpayers honesty about where its hands are actually tied, and where they’re not.
A Letter to My Neighbors in Prior Lake & Savage
A Lifelong Minnesotan. Business Owner. Family Man.
Hey, neighbors!
Back in 1999, my family had a choice of where to put down roots, and we chose Savage. Part of the reason was PLSAS. This was a district families moved here for. That reputation mattered to us then, and it’s a big part of why I’m writing this now.
For a long time, I think we’ve judged success by inputs, how much we spent, how many programs we introduced, how much activity we could point to. Those numbers are easy to track, but they don’t tell you whether kids are actually learning, whether they feel challenged, what the culture of our district is, or whether families trust the people making decisions for their kids.
I don’t think that means assuming spending more automatically helps, and I don’t think it means assuming spending less is the answer either. Those are both just reflexes. The real question, for every dollar, is simple: what are we getting for it?
Here’s what I keep coming back to. I want to understand what actually made this district work, look honestly at where it’s struggling now, and put in the steady, unglamorous work of building something stronger for the next and current generation of kids. That’s what a destination district looks like to me.
I don’t have every answer, and I don’t think anyone running for this seat does either. What I can promise is that on the budget, the referendum, and the tough conversations ahead, I’ll look at the evidence, treat people with respect, and actually listen before I make up my mind.
I’d be honored to have your vote on November 3, 2026.
Rick Storlie
Revenue and accountability must go together
I believe new funding and public accountability have to travel together. I’m not approaching the 2026 referendum with an automatic yes or an automatic no.
Voters will see two questions on the ballot this November. Question 1 would revoke the district’s current referendum revenue authorization of $623.97 per pupil and replace it with $1,740.97 per pupil, for ten years starting with taxes payable in 2027, rising with inflation from 2028 on. Question 2, which only takes effect if Question 1 passes, is a capital project levy that would raise about $3.8 million a year for ten years, roughly $38 million total, for facility upgrades, safety and security, deferred maintenance, technology, buses, and curriculum.
Not an automatic yes. Not an automatic no. When the district asks for more, the community should get clear expectations, transparent reporting, and measurable results in return.
I don’t think “trust us, this will help” is good enough for a commitment this size. Before I’d ask taxpayers to approve either question, I want the district to answer the same questions I’d apply to any dollar under my Return on Education standard:
- What does it fund?
- What does it protect, versus what's new?
- What results should we expect, and by when?
- How often will progress get reported?
- What happens if a funded program doesn't deliver?
- Which costs are mandated, and which are locally controlled?
If the district can answer those clearly, I’m open to supporting it.
Reform. Rebuild. Restore.
Identify the policies, practices, priorities, and spending decisions that may be preventing stronger student outcomes — beginning with evidence rather than assumptions.
Direct district resources, policies, and accountability systems toward approaches supported by evidence and aligned with real student needs.
Restore academic confidence, fiscal trust, disciplined learning environments, and PLSAS's reputation as a destination district.
What a destination district looks like
Not defined by enrollment, marketing, or buildings alone — but by trust, results, and opportunity for every student.
- Students are challenged and supported academically
- Teachers and staff are proud to work here
- Graduates are ready for college, careers, and citizenship
- District leaders communicate honestly and act transparently
- Families trust the education their children receive
- Classrooms are focused, orderly, and academically serious
- Taxpayers believe their investment is used responsibly
- Every student, from every school and background, can succeed