BCA investigating Fridley Public Schools

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Minnesota Department of Education are investigating Fridley Public Schools. The agencies confirmed the investigation to the Minnesota Star Tribune on Friday. According to KSTP , BCA agents were seen taking away boxes of materials from district buildings earlier Friday. A spokesperson for the Education Department confirmed that employees from its Office of Inspector General were assisting BCA agents in Fridley, but declined to comment further because of the ongoing investigation. It comes less than a month after the Education Department warned the suburban school district that overdue financial reporting and borrowing to repay earlier debt could leave the district in a “debt spiral.” Education Commissioner Willie Jett said in the letter to district leaders Oct. 20 that the state was hiring an outside contractor to audit the district, and warned that Fridley Public Schools had not demonstrated sufficient effort to complete its overdue fiscal 2025 audit or address mounting financial problems. Advertisement State officials raised concerns in July about the district’s reliance on short-term borrowing to cover expenses and repay earlier borrowing. Moody’s withdrew Fridley’s bond rating in September because the audit remained incomplete, according to the letter. Fridley officials said earlier this month that they welcomed the state’s review and are correcting historical reporting errors while strengthening oversight. “We recognize that there is more to do,” read a statement from the district. Fridley is one of seven Minnesota school districts that, at the end of fiscal 2025, were in statutory operating debt — a designation triggered when a district’s year-end deficit exceeds 2.5% of certain general fund operating expenditures. Districts that cross that threshold must submit a financial recovery plan for state approval.