Wisconsin school districts: 2015 in review and a 2016 election preview

### January 27, 2016[edit]

By Ballotpedia's School Board Elections Project

Wisconsin School
District Report 2016

* * *

Issues across the state
Election analysis: 2015 & 2016
2016 elections preview
See also

Fraught relations between the Wisconsin state government and some local school boards and administrators continue heading into the 2016 election cycle. State education funding and a voucher program expansion, in particular, drew criticism from a number of local school leaders across the state. In another instance, one school district's inability to fill a board vacancy led to a legislative intervention. Attempts to legislate the treatment of transgender students in public schools drew attention from a national legal defense and education fund.

In addition to school board elections, several board vacancies and superintendent changes reshaped local governance. The upcoming elections in April also present some unique opportunities to shift local school boards, with one district voting on its entire board and another holding its first election after expanding its board from five to seven members.

Ballotpedia is covering the 49 of Wisconsin's 50 largest school districts holding elections on April 5, 2016. Across those 49 districts, 141 seats are up for grabs, and six of the districts will also see referendum questions for debt issuance and tax levies on their ballots. Wisconsin has a total of 464 public school districts.

## Issues across the state[edit]

* State budget
* Voucher program
* Transgender students
* Superintendents

### Opposition to Gov. Walker's budget proposal[edit]

Wis. Gov. Scott Walker (R)

A number of school district officials in Wisconsin voiced opposition to a proposed 2015-2017 budget from Gov. Scott Walker (R). The plan, which was neither enacted nor submitted as the final version of the governor's budget, included a proposed reduction in per-student funding by $150 for the 2015-2016 school year followed by an increase of $165 per student for the 2016-2017 school year. According to the 2014-2015 Wisconsin budget, the state support per pupil was approximately $6,991 in the 2014–2015 school year.[1] The table below compares Wisconsin's spending on K-12 education to other states in the region and the national averages.

Superintendents from 18 school districts wrote a letter to the governor and the Wisconsin State Legislature, expressing concerns that such a budget cut would require cutting staff, salaries or benefits to keep districts afloat financially. The letter also cited concerns over the impact of budget cuts on teacher retention. The authors stated that inflationary growth was necessary to sustain educational programs in their districts.[2]

Comparison of financial figures
for school systems, fiscal year 2013

State | Percentage of state budget | Total per pupil spending | Revenue sources
(% of total)
Federal | State | Local
Wisconsin | 16.2% | $11,071 | 7.7% | 44.8% | 47.5%
Illinois | 13.3% | $12,288 | 7.9% | 35.4% | 56.8%
Michigan | 27.2% | $10,948 | 9.4% | 56.9% | 33.7%
Minnesota | 29.2% | $11,089 | 6.1% | 63.5% | 30.5%
United States | 19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3%
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8).
U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8).

The final budget did not include the proposed per-student funding cuts, but it did keep per-student funding flat for the 2015-2016 school year. Funding is scheduled to increase by $69 million statewide for the 2016-2017 school year. Although the cuts were not implemented, some argued that the budget will not match inflation. Pat Deklotz, superintendent of the Kettle Moraine School District, called it a "shallow victory."[3]

### Voucher program expansion[edit]

The final Wisconsin budget expanded a state program to allow more students to attend private schools with publicly funded vouchers. There will no longer be a cap of 1,000 students statewide who will be allowed to participate in the voucher program; instead, the cap for the 2016-2017 school year will be one percent of each school district’s total enrollment. This cap will continue to rise by one percent each year over the following 10 years until the 2025-2026 school year, when the cap is scheduled to be eliminated.[4] Wisconsin had 872,436 total students in the 2012-2013 school year, one percent of which would amount to a cap of 8,724 total students statewide allowed to participate in the voucher program.[5]

Previously, the voucher program was paid for out of a separate state fund. Students who attend private schools with vouchers were counted as part of the district's total enrollment for the first time in 2015 and were funded from the district's budget. Because these students attended private schools, state aid was funneled directly to the voucher program instead of the public school districts. Thus, the state aid given to most districts was decreased. According to the Fond du Lac Reporter, $16 million was directed away from public schools statewide and instead directed toward voucher students.[6] Under Wisconsin law, districts are permitted to increase property taxes to make up for the loss of funding. For instance, the Fond du Lac School District increased its tax levy by 11 cents per $1,000 of property value for a total projected revenue increase of $379,407.[7]

### Bathrooms and gender divide Democrats and Republicans in state legislature[edit]

Rep. Jesse Kremer (R)

Sen. Steve Nass (R)

School boards across Wisconsin could be required to bar transgender students from using bathrooms and locker rooms intended for the gender with which they identify, under a proposed law. Rep. Jesse Kremer (R) and Sen. Steve Nass (R), two of the primary sponsors of Assembly Bill 469, would also like the U.S. Department of Justice to stand behind school districts in which challengers file lawsuits in response to the new law. Kremer wrote in a memo to lawmakers, “This bill reinforces the societal norm in our schools that students born biologically male must not be allowed to enter facilities designated for biological females and vice versa.”[8]

Opponents to the bill include the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, which is a national organization that claims the bill is inherently discriminatory toward transgender students. The firm’s executive director, Michael Silverman, said, “Transgender young people already face immense harassment and bias when they are just trying to participate in their school environments as their authentic selves. Legislation like this would further stigmatize transgender students and harm their health and well-being.”[9]

Wisconsin Democrats have also responded by proposing their own bill that would require school boards to provide “reasonable accommodations for a student to use a single-occupancy changing room or restroom if the student's parent or guardian submits a written request to the school board indicating the student identifies with another gender.”[10] The bill, AB 524, would also provide legal definitions for "gender identity" and "transgender pupil."

AB 469 has eight Republican co-sponsors in the state assembly and three in the state senate, and a legislative committee heard testimonies on November 19, 2015.[11] Rep. Kremer offered an amendment on December 15, 2015, which would allow schools to have gender neutral bathrooms that could be used by students of either gender if floor-to-ceiling separations are in place. AB 254 has 18 Democratic sponsors and was heard in committee on November 18, 2015. Neither bill has seen action since the 2016 legislative session began.[12][13]

### A wave of new superintendents[edit]

* Beloit
* Stevens Point
* Sun Prairie
* Oak-Creek Franklin
* Chippewa Falls
* West Allis-West Milwaukee

Six of the largest school districts in Wisconsin saw new superintendents appointed during 2015. Two of those changes, however, included a current superintendent of a top 50 school district moving to another top 50 school district.

#### Reprimand precedes retirement in Beloit[edit]

Top: Former Beloit School District Superintendent Steve McNeal. Bottom: The controversial image McNeal displayed at a high school convocation.

The biggest controversy in superintendent changes preceeded Beloit School District Superintendent Steve McNeal's resignation after 36 years in the education field. In the fall of 2014, McNeal had been formally reprimanded by the school board for an image that he used during a high school convocation. The image showed an African American man with protuberant eyes. While McNeal stated that the image was used to show shock, some community members called the image racist, protested McNeal and asked him to step down.[14]

Board President John Acomb described the matter, saying, "The image that was used was in fact racist. Is Steve McNeal racist? And the answer to that is no." The board also voted to spend $100,000 on consulting services to investigate its service to minority students.[14]

The superintendent had served the district for three and a half years before submitting his resignation in December 2014. McNeal planned to finish out the school year and officially retire on June 30, 2015, but in January 2015, he announced he would be moving up his retirement to March 2015.[15][16][17]

Describing his decision to retire and the role of the controversy from 2014 in his decision, McNeal stated:

“  | To say that it's been my favorite fall would certainly be a lie. Did it play in my decision? Absolutely some. But I hope that I always look in the mirror and know that I did the right thing."[18] | ”

|
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—Steve McNeal (December 2014)[15]

McNeal started a new job with Corporate Contractors, Inc. to assist school districts in construction project strategies. He started this new job while he was still working as superintendent, which caused "quite a stir," according to McNeal. That backlash influenced his decision to move up the date of his retirement from the district.[15][16]

#### No-confidence vote, contested board decision in Stevens Point resignation[edit]

Following a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Attila Weninger from Stevens Point Area Public School District teachers in the 2013-2014 school year, the Board of Education voted against renewing Weninger’s contract in May 2014. That vote, however, occurred in a closed session. Due to this, the vote was deemed to be "unenforceable" and was retracted. Before the vote, Weninger had submitted his resignation effective the last day of his contract, July 30, 2015, which the board accepted after the non-renewal vote was retracted.[19][20]

In March 2015, the board decided to search for an interim superintendent for the 2015-2016 school year, rather than appoint a permanent superintendent. In April 2015, the board hired Lee Bush to serve as interim superintendent for one year. His contract began on July 15, 2015, and ended June 30, 2016.[21]

#### Superintendents cycle between Sun Prairie Area, Oak-Creek Franklin and Chippewa Falls[edit]

In the Sun Prairie Area School District, Superintendent Dr. Tim Culver announced he would retire from the district effective June 30, 2015, after serving for over 17 years. He left to become superintendent of the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District in July 2015, where Sara Burmeister had retired.[22]

The Sun Prairie school board named Brad Saro as the new superintendent, who was, in turn, leaving the Chippewa Falls Area School District. Saro announced his resignation from the district in April 2015. He had served the district since 2013.[23]

Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos, the former principal of Chippewa Falls Middle School, was appointed to replace Saro in June 2015. Eliopoulos was born and raised in Chippewa Falls and graduated from the Chippewa Falls Area School District.[24][25] The board of education interviewed candidates from both inside and outside of the district before appointing Eliopoulos.[26]

#### West Allis-West Milwaukee sees first new superintendent in a decade[edit]

After a decade of service, Superintendent Kurt Wachholz retired from the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District on July 31, 2014.[27] The board of education appointed Marty Lexmond as the district's next superintendent. Lexmond started his new position on July 1, 2015. He previously served as superintendent of the Shorewood School District, a district outside of the largest 50 in the state.[28]

The district had named Paul Strobel as the interim superintendent in August 2014. He had formerly served as superintendent of one of Wisconsin's other largest districts, Mukwonago School District. Strobel served until Lexmond took on the position permanently.[28][29]

## Election analysis: 2014 and 2015 results[edit]

Ballotpedia covered 11 Wisconsin school board elections in 2014 and 19 elections in 2015. Over 38 percent of the 81 seats up for election during those two years were won by non-incumbent candidates; 62 percent of seats were retained by board members seeking re-election. In 2015, 36 of the 51 incumbents whose terms were up for re-election ran for another term, and 27 of them won.  Seats won by incumbents vs. newcomers in Wisconsin

The state's 2015 elections had a smaller percentage of unopposed seats than there were in 2014. A total of 47 percent of seats examined in 2014 were unopposed, compared to the 29 percent that were unopposed in 2015. Both election years attracted a similar average number of candidates per seat on the ballot, but the average for the 2015 elections was slightly larger. An average of 1.43 candidates ran per seat that year, compared to the average 1.40 candidates who ran per seat in 2014.

The state's largest school districts did not utilize primary or runoff elections in 2015. Winners only had to receive a plurality, or relative majority, of votes to secure a seat. All of the school board elections held in the state in 2014 and 2015 were nonpartisan.

Though no primary elections were held in 2015, Wisconsin does require school districts to hold them to reduce the number of candidates if more than two file for any one school board seat up for election in the state. No runoff elections are held. In 2014, only the Kenosha Unified School District had enough candidates file to hold a primary.

## 2016 election preview[edit]

Ballotpedia is covering the 50 largest school districts by enrollment in Wisconsin in 2016, and 49 of them are holding school board elections. The state's largest school district, Milwaukee Public Schools, will not hold elections in 2016.

The general election will be held on April 5, 2016. Eleven districts will also hold a primary election on February 16, 2016, as more than two candidates filed for each seat on the ballot. A total of 141 seats are up for election. Together, these districts served 378,900 students in the 2013-2014 school year.

See also: Wisconsin school board elections, 2016

To view the full list of districts holding elections, click [show] in the blue bar below. Click on the district name for more information on the district and its school board elections. Districts with asterisks (*) next to the number of seats up for election are holding special elections in conjunction with their general elections.

The map on the right highlights Wisconsin's 50 largest school districts based on enrollment data from the 2013–2014 school year. Use the + and - buttons in the lower left corner to zoom in on the map. Clicking on a district will display its name and a link to its election coverage.

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2016 Wisconsin School Board Elections

District  | Primary date  | General date  | Regular term (years)  | Seats up for election  | Total board seats  | Student enrollment
Appleton Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 16,224
Beloit School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 4* | 7 | 7,116
Chippewa Falls Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5,081
D.C. Everest Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5,957
De Pere School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4,148
Eau Claire Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 4* | 7 | 11,032
Elmbrook School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6,945
Fond du Lac School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7,460
Franklin Public School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4,418
Germantown School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3,933
Green Bay Area Public School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 21,006
Greenfield School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 4* | 7 | 3,924
Hamilton School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,685
Holmen School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3,898
Howard-Suamico School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5,886
Hudson School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5,597
Janesville School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10,390
Kaukauna Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3,953
Kenosha Unified School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 22,602
Kettle Moraine School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,117
Kimberly Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,913
La Crosse School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 6,829
Madison Metropolitan School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 27,185
Manitowoc School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5,210
Marshfield School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,014
McFarland School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4,355
Menomonee Falls School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4,200
Middleton-Cross Plains School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 6,654
Mukwonago School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 4,710
Muskego-Norway School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,886
Neenah Joint School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 6,226
New Berlin School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4,602
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 4* | 7 | 6,447
Oconomowoc Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5,224
Oshkosh Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 9,957
Racine Unified School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 9* | 9 | 20,301
Sheboygan Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10,288
Stevens Point Area Public School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 4* | 9 | 7,353
Sun Prairie Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7,598
Superior School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4,667
Verona Area School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5,433
Watertown School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3,864
Waukesha School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13,678
Waunakee Community School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4,042
Wausau School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8,663
Wauwatosa School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7,204
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9,725
West Bend School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7,008
Wisconsin Rapids School District | 2/16/2016 | 4/5/2016 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5,292

# Board vacancies[edit]

### Board vacancies trigger special elections[edit]

* Racine
* Greenfield
* Chippewa Falls
* Beloit
* Stevens Point

Five board vacancies in Wisconsin's largest school districts required some additional seats to appear on the ballot in 2016.

#### Racine board indecision leads to legislative action[edit]

Racine Unified School District board members were divided as they tried to fill the vacant seat left by Lisa Parham's resignation in June 2015. The board was unable to select a replacement after 24 rounds of anonymous voting during a meeting on July 2, 2015. The board's secret vote was found to be counter to a legal opinion issued by former Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette in 1976.[30]

State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R)

State Rep. Tom Weatherston (R)

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Another 11 rounds of voting were unable to select Parham's replacement on July 7, 2015. Board minutes from that meeting showed a board divided between supporters of John Koetz and former board member Wally Rendón with neither candidate earning approval from a majority of the board.[31]

State law provided no remedy for Racine's deadlock until the signing of Assembly Bill 325 by Gov. Scott Walker (R) on October 23, 2015. This legislation, introduced by State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R) and State Rep. Thomas Weatherston (R), allowed the board president to fill vacant seats if the board cannot select a replacement in the 60-day period following the vacancy's creation. The law expired on April 12, 2016, and included a provision requiring districts to develop their own policies for filling vacancies by July 1, 2016.[32]

Board President Melvin Hargrove used the power created by AB 325 to appoint Koetz to the vacant seat on October 26, 2015. Hargrove said that the public's frustration with the board deadlock and the need for a full board to deal with district issues led to his appointment of Koetz.[33]

#### Two vacancies for Greenfield[edit]

In the Greenfield School District, Jim Sabinash was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board on October 19, 2015, following the death of board member Len Cich, who died in August 2015.[34] At the same meeting as Sabinash's appointment, board member Russell Spahn resigned, leaving the board with another vacancy. Spahn cited personal reasons for his resignation. He had been re-elected to his second three-year term in April 2015.[35] Spahn's vacant seat was filled by Kristie Potter, who was appointed on November 23, 2015.[36]

#### Illness leads to resignation at Chippewa Falls[edit]

Kathy Strecker was appointed to the Chippewa Falls Area School District school board to fill James Dimock's seat in 2015.

James Dimock, board president, resigned from the board following health complications due to a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on June 3, 2015. "The rapid progression of my serious illness has put unnecessary strain on my systems and for my caregivers as well," he stated at the time of his resignation. Dimock died shortly after his resignation on June 25, 2015. Jerry Smith filled the position of board president following Dimock's resignation. The board searched for a new member to fill the vacancy and ultimately settled upon Kathy Strecker, a district parent.[37][38]

#### Beloit member resigns to take "a stand"[edit]

In the Beloit School District, board member Michael Ramsdail stepped down from his position in May 2015.[39] In his place, the Beloit Board of Education appointed Laurie Endres.

Of his decision, Ramsdail stated, "I feel like a stand needed to be taken against the local paper for its negative coverage of our district throughout the years and I was unable to do that as long as I was a member of the board of education. I also stated that I would like to spend more time with my family."[40]

#### Superintendent hiring delay cited in Stevens Point resignation[edit]

On April 2, 2015, Stevens Point Area Public School District school board member Alex Kochanowski resigned his post after the board decided to delay the hiring of a new permanent superintendent. The board had spent $16,000 searching for a new leader in the district's top seat and had narrowed the field down to two possible candidates before they decided to hire on an interim basis instead.[41]

Kochanowski's resignation left the board with an open seat that had to be filled by appointment, and so former board member Angel Faxon was appointed to fill the seat. Faxon had served one term when she lost her place on the board by receiving the lowest number of votes in the general election on April 7, 2015. Her appointment to the board was within one month of losing the general election, and she was selected over Chief Deputy Dan Kontos of the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and Keaton Schultz, a senior at Stevens Point Area Senior High School.[42]

# Referendums[edit]

## 2016 referendum efforts[edit]

* April referendums
* Hudson
* Menomonee Falls
* Mukwonago
* Muskego-Norway
* Oshkosh
* Superior
* November referendums
* Eau Claire
* Marshall
* Oconomowoc
* See also
* School bond and tax elections in Wisconsin

Bond elections
2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015
2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011
2010 • 2009 • 2008
All years and states
Property tax elections
2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015
2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011
2010 • 2009 • 2008
All years and states
See also
State comparisons
How voting works
Approval rates

District referendums and tax levies will appear on the April ballot alongside school board elections of six of Wisconsin's largest districts on April 5, 2016. School boards in these districts are seeking funding for athletic facility upgrades, building expansions to accommodate larger enrollments, and safety improvements. At least three of the other largest districts are contemplating ballot measures for the November ballot, instead.[43]

In 2015, state lawmakers introduced a bill that would limit the number of times a district could put a referendum on the ballot. The bill would allow districts to introduce a referendum every two years. This would keep a district from asking for a tax increase in the next election following a failed referendum. The bill would also limit a referendum vote to the April and November elections in the state of Wisconsin.[44]

### April referendums[edit]

#### Hudson School District[edit]

Voters in the Hudson School District will see three debt issuance questions on their April ballots. The district is seeking a total of $90.4 million:[43]

* $74.3 million for high school additions, renovations and upgrades
* $8.2 million for high school athletic facilities and auditorium renovations and upgrades
* $7.9 million for middle school additions, renovations and upgrades

#### Menomonee Falls School District[edit]

Voters in the Menomonee Falls School District will see a revenue limit question and a debt issuance question on their April ballots. The first would allow the district to exceed its revenue limits by $1.25 million dollars annually from 2016 to 2018. The stated purpose for seeking these increases is "for recurring purposes consisting of safeguarding learning opportunities and sustaining class size." The debt issue question would authorize $32.7 million for district-wide facilities improvements.[43]

#### Mukwonago School District[edit]

On December 21, 2015, Mukwonago School Board members voted unanimously to place two referendum questions on the ballot on April 5, 2016. The measures include a request for $49.5 million for improvements to Mukwonago High School and $350,000 per year over two decades to operate and maintain the school. These measures would add $38 and $12, respectively, in property tax per $100,000 of assessed property value if approved by voters.[43][45][46]

The referendums were placed on the ballot after the district's community steering committee conducted a survey to gauge residents' interest in passing a referendum. The survey showed a 76 percent approval rating for adding a referendum to the April 2016 ballot.[47]

#### Muskego-Norway School District[edit]

Voters in the Muskego-Norway School District will decide whether or not to issue $43.18 million in debt to build a new middle school and to make additions and renovations to existing school facilities.[43] After a master planning committee suggested $55 million in improvements to the district's buildings, the Muskego-Norway School Board sent surveys to residents of the district to determine their interest in passing a referendum. The suggested improvements included building a new middle school, closing the district's two oldest schools, adding on or converting three elementary schools, updating the high school's music, science and technology classrooms, and renovating a number of the high school's athletic facilities. The survey found 60 percent of respondents supported borrowing for school facilities, 50 percent supported pool renovations, and 47 percent supported athletic facilities upgrades.[48]

#### Oshkosh Area School District[edit]

The Oshkosh Area School District school board placed a $9.59 million debt issuance question on the April ballot. If approved, the funds would be used "to remodel, renovate and demolish a wing of the elementary school in addition to furnishings, fixtures and equipment."[43]

#### Superior School District[edit]

A $92.5 million referendum will appear on the April 2016 ballot for voters in the Superior School District. Just over half of that money, a total of $56 million, is earmarked for renovations and additions at Superior High School. Another $27 million is allocated to completely replace the current Cooper Elementary School building. Two other schools need their roofs replaced and another two need new pavement. Other costs included in the referendum are an artificial turf softball field, improved security at all school buildings and technology and equipment upgrades.[49][50]

### Potential November referendums[edit]

#### Eau Claire Area School District[edit]

The Eau Claire Area School Board and the school district's budget committee met in November 2015 to discuss putting a $35 million referendum on the ballot on April 5, 2016. The funds from the referendum would be allocated to operating costs and building improvements, including facility upgrades needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Safety upgrades, such as replacing fire alarms on school campuses, would also be included.[51]

During a meeting in December 2015, board members agreed to push back the pending April referendum. This decision gave the district more time to decide on the total dollar amount needed to fund building improvements and district operating expenses. The new deadline for submitting the referendum to the state is mid-August, according to a timeline set during a board meeting held on January 4, 2016.[52][53]

#### Marshfield School District[edit]

Recent history of referendums
in Marshfield School District[44]

Year  | Terms  | Passed  | In favor  | Against
2012 | Tax increase of $10 million
over four years | Yes | 7,807 | 6,076
2008 | Tax increase of $13.5 million
over five years | Yes | 5,892 | 4,760
2005 | Allow $21.3 million in debt | Yes | 5,211 | 3,529
2004 | Allow $25.6 million in debt | No | 3,764 | 4,044
2003 | Allow $31.4 million in debt | No | 3,484 | 4,339
2002 | Tax increase of $3 million
over three years | Yes | 4,825 | 3,009

The Marshfield Board of Education intends to placed a referendum on the ballot in the November 2016 election, which would authorize a $10 million tax increase for existing programs and operations in the district. As of January 2016, the details of the referendum were tentative, but there was no plan for the money to be used on facility upgrades, according to the district's director of business services, Patrick Saucerman. The board also discussed plans for budget cuts in the event that the referendum is not passed in November 2016.[54]

The last referendum passed for the Marshfield School District was in 2012, when 56 percent of voters approved a tax increase of $10 million over the tax levy limits over four years. Prior to the 2012 measure, 55 percent of voters passed a $13.5 million increase in 2008.[54]

#### Oconomowoc Area School District[edit]

In early 2015, the Oconomowoc Area School Board discussed the possibility of putting a referendum on the 2016 ballot in order to build a new elementary school and expand other schools in the district. They hired a firm to assess the impact of local growth on school capacity. The firm estimated a 544-student increase for elementary schools in the district between 2015 and 2025. The firm also estimated that Oconomowoc High School would be 300 students over capacity by 2025. The board discussed the possibility of a referendum in November 2016 in order to accommodate this student enrollment growth.[55]

## See also[edit]

Wisconsin | School Boards | News and Analysis

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* Wisconsin school board elections, 2016
* Public education in Wisconsin
* List of school districts in Wisconsin

* School board elections, 2016
* Candidate filing deadlines, 2016
* Campaign finance deadlines, 2016

* Wisconsin school districts: 2014 in review and a 2015 election preview
* School boards in session: 2014 elections by the numbers

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "DPI's Summary of 2013-15 Biennial Budget, 2013 Wisconsin Act 20, Comparing DPI/Governor/Joint Finance/Legislature," accessed January 25, 2016
2. ↑ School Administrators Alliance, "Uploads," accessed January 20, 2016
3. ↑ Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, "Suburban superintendents decry state budget for public education," June 4, 2015
4. ↑ fdlreporter.com, "Taxpayers pay for area voucher students," November 20, 2015
5. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 16, 2015
6. ↑ fdlreporter.com, "FDL schools lose funding through program," October 17, 2015
7. ↑ Kenosha News, "Local schools capitalize on voucher program," October 28, 2015
8. ↑ Oshkosh Northwestern, "GOP lawmakers want gender restrictions in school bathrooms," accessed October 13, 2015
9. ↑ WisconsinGazette.com, "Wis. Republicans want law barring transgender students from restrooms," accessed October 13, 2015
10. ↑ The Cap Times, "Wisconsin Democrats push back on bathroom bill aimed at transgender students," October 14, 2015
11. ↑ The Cap Times, "Wisconsin transgender 'bathroom bill' set for public hearing Thursday," November 19, 2015
12. ↑ ABC 27 WKOW, "Transgender school bathroom bill could be amended to allow gender-neutral bathrooms," December 15, 2015
13. ↑ CBS Minnesota, "Republicans In Wis. Defend Transgender Restrictions Bill," November 19, 2015
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Channel3000.com, "Offensive image prompts reprimand of Beloit superintendent," October 7, 2014
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Channel 3000, "Beloit superintendent retires for private sector," December 16, 2014
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Beloit Daily News, "McNeal moves up retirement," January 8, 2015
17. ↑ Beloit Daily News, "Superintendent departure date coming sooner," January 21, 2015
18. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
19. ↑ Stevens Point City Times, "Growing Support for Weninger to Culminate at Monday’s Board Meeting," August 11, 2014
20. ↑ Steven Point Journal, "Business leaders want Weninger to stay," August 11, 2014
21. ↑ Stevens Point Journal, "School Board selects interim superintendent," April 21, 2015
22. ↑ The Sun Prarie Star, "Sun Prairie Area School District superintendent announces retirement," December 17, 2014
23. ↑ WQOW ABC 18, "Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District's administrator resigns," April 29, 2015
24. ↑ WEAU.com, "Chippewa Falls welcomes new superintendent," July 8, 2015
25. ↑ WQOW ABC 18, "Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District announces final candidate for superintendent position," June 3, 2015
26. ↑ WEAU.com, "Search is on for new Chippewa Falls superintendent," May 15, 2015
27. ↑ West Allis Now, "Wachholz retires as superintendent of West Allis-West Milwaukee schools," July 31, 2014
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 West Allis Now, "West Allis-West Milwaukee taps Shorewood superintendent for top spot," March 27, 2015
29. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "West Allis-West Milwaukee names interim superintendent," August 12, 2014
30. ↑ The Journal Times, "Racine Unified secret ballot vote was apparent violation of state law," July 17, 2015
31. ↑ Racine Unified School District, "Official Proceedings: July 7, 2015," July 7, 2015
32. ↑ CBS 58, "Walker signs bill allowing Racine School District President to fill Board Vacancies," October 23, 2015
33. ↑ The Journal Times, "Tiebreaker: Hargrove Appoints John Koetz to School Board," October 26, 2015
34. ↑ Greenfield Now, "Greenfield School Board to fill vacancy by appointment," September 29, 2015
35. ↑ Greenfield Now, "Greenfield School Board appoints new board member, another resigns," October 22, 2015
36. ↑ Greenfield School District, "NEW Greenfield School Board Appoints New Member," accessed November 30, 2015
37. ↑ The Chippewa Herald, "Dimock resigns from Chippewa Falls School Board," June 4, 2015
38. ↑ The Chippewa Herald, "Board honors legacy of Jim Dimock," September 18, 2015
39. ↑ Beloit Daily News, "School board to choose new member," July 6, 2015
40. ↑ Beloit Daily News, "Michael Ramsdail announces resignation from school board," May 15, 2015
41. ↑ Stevens Point Journal, "Stevens Point School Board member resigns," April 2, 2015
42. ↑ Stevens Point City Times, "NEW: Angel Faxon Applies to School Board," April 21, 2015
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Custom Referenda/Resolution Reports," accessed January 27, 2016
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Marshfield News Herald, "Should Marshfield schools get more money?" January 7, 2016
45. ↑ Lake Country Now, "Mukwonago School Board set to decide whether referendum will be on spring ballot," December 3, 2015
46. ↑ Lake Country Now, "Mukwonago schools will send two questions on building improvements to referendum," December 21, 2015
47. ↑ Mukwonago School District, "MASD Survey Results Summary," accessed December 1, 2015
48. ↑ Muskego Now, "Referendum still the $55 million question for Muskego-Norway schools," November 9, 2015
49. ↑ Superior Telegram, "Voters to decide construction, renovation of schools," September 1, 2015
50. ↑ Superior Telegram, "School Board moves to make referendum official," January 12, 2016
51. ↑ Leader-Telegram, "Eau Claire school district budget committee mulls additional referendums," December 1, 2015
52. ↑ Leader-Telegram, "Fall referendum planning begins," January 26, 2016
53. ↑ Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education, "Eau Claire Board of Education Minutes," January 4, 2016
54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Marshfield News Herald, "Should Marshfield schools get more money?" January 7, 2016
55. ↑ Lake County Now, "An analysis projects growth in some areas of the Oconomowoc Area School District," October 14, 2015

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