In 2024, Wisconsin voters faced a record number of school referenda on their ballots and approved a record number of funding requests, a report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum revealed. A total of 241 referenda were put forth by school districts, seeking $5.9 billion in funding, breaking the previous record of $3.3 billion. Voters approved 169 of these referenda, authorizing $4.4 billion in new funding, including $3.3 billion in debt. Notably, over a third of the state’s public school districts passed a referendum last year.
Various factors have contributed to the rising number of referenda, with inflation outpacing increases in the state’s per pupil revenue limits that restrict districts’ ability to raise funds through property taxes and state aid. The need to raise wages and the loss of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief aid have also played a role in this trend.
The Madison Metropolitan School District saw the approval of the largest referenda in the state, with voters signing off on a $507 million debt referendum and a $100 million operating referendum.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan, independent policy research organization, conducted the study and released the findings. The report sheds light on the financial struggles faced by school districts in the state and highlights the growing need for additional funding to support education.
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