Operating Referendum
The School District of Johnson Creek is proud of the fact that we believe in the potential of all and are committed to developing life-long learners who value themselves, contribute to their community, and succeed in a changing world.
We have heard you! In response to the failed April referendum, the School Board is working hard to make lowering your mill rate a priority. We are also asking for a 4 year committment (vs perpetual) as our sincere hope is that with the additional funding, we will be able to fix our financial problems and set our district up for the future.
We are proud of our many successes; however we are also facing significant financial challenges. These challenges are largely out of our control and are tied to the state's school funding formula, lack of aid to public schools, increasing mandatory expenditures for special education, loss of revenue due to school vouchers, and inflation. Year after year, the District is seeing rising operational costs that are impacting all aspects of district operations. This factor, coupled with no increase in the state revenue limit for two years, has led to the Johnson Creek School District's current financial situation.
Our Needs
Our school district faces critical needs that necessitate local support through the proposed referendum. First and foremost, we must:
- Bridge our annual operating budget deficit
- Restore the fund balance to pay bills
State-imposed revenue limit have not kept up with inflationary pressures and student needs. There state gave us no increase in funding for 2 straight years. Mandatory expenditures on special education needs continue to increase with limited reimbursement to the district.
Over the last decade school operational costs have increased, state funding has not kept up with inflationary pressures and student needs.
Challenges the Johnson Creek School District Faces:
- Inadequate state funding -- zero increase in the revenue limit for 2 years straight.
- Rising inflation impacting all district operations
- Increasing English Learner population
- Increasing Early Childhood population with special needs
- Impact of the pandemic (ie: teacher/staffing shortages)
Without the support of the community, maintaining our current level of programs and staffing won't be possible. If the referendum fails, the school board will be faced with very tough decisions, including possibly closing the school. As we stated before, we are unable to cut our way out of this financial crisis.
Our Proposed Solution
On November 5, 2024, the Johnson Creek School Board is asking our community to approve an operational referendum. If it is approved, the district will be able to exceed its state-imposed revenue limit by $2.5 million per year over the next four years. The referendum would then expire unless voters approved a new referendum.
Securing funding through this proposed referendum is crucial to prevent major cuts to essential programs, services, and staffing in our schools, thereby protecting the well-being and education of our students.
What Will the Referendum Funds Do:
- Maintain current level of services and current class sizes
- Support student access to current technology
- Maintain emphasis on safety, including physical and online.
- Retain a broad array of academic and cocurricular offerings
- Address operational needs across all departments
- Offset negative ramifications of state public education funding
Ballot Question
On Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, voters will be asked to approve a Resolution Authorizing the School District Budget to Exceed the Revenue Limit by $2,500,000 Per Year for Four Years for Non-Recurring Purposes.
Referendum Facts
Like all Wisconsin districts, the Johnson Creek School District has a state-imposed revenue limit based on a formula established in 1993. This outdated formula, paired with minimal state aid for public schools in recent years, has led many school districts to seek local support through operational referendums. Over the last decade, more than 80% of Wisconsin districts have received similar approval from voters.
Financial Impacts
With an approved referendum on November 5th, estimates show a significant decrease in the mill rate -- approximately $1/1,000 lower.
District Cuts
The district has made over $500,000 in cuts in the last year, including:
- Eliminated an administrative position through reassigned duties, which was the second-highest-paid position in the district
- Cut the Ag program
- Cut elementary special education staff
- Eliminated a middle school math position
- Cut two elementary paraprofessional positions
- Eliminated the district math interventionist position
- Eliminated a maintenance position
- Cut a half-time food service position and reduce another position by 2 hours
- Eliminated our broker and the associated fees, while we renegotiated our life insurance and long-term disability policies, reducing the premium by 20% annually
- Reduced the amount of our liability insurance umbrella, saving the district $3,000 annually.
- Eliminated our contractual laundry service, which is now being done internally
- Switched copy/printing vendor to reduce contract cost as well as an approximate 13% reduction in operating expenses.
- Johnson Creek is ranked 392 out of 444 across all school districts in the state of Wisconsin for average teacher salary.
Questions?
If you still have questions regarding the referendum, you can email Mark Gruen at gruenm@johnsoncreekschools.org or call the District office at 920.541.4800.
For comprehensive election information, voter registration, and obtaining absentee ballots, visit myvote.wi.gov.