The Prairie du Chien School District Board of Education unanimously voted to ask the community to approve a $1.75 million annual referendum, totaling $7 million over four years, at the April 1, 2025 election. This funding will help cover district expenses, but even with this support, further reductions will still be needed to bridge the funding gap.
For the first time in a generation, our students face the potential of having fewer opportunities compared to previous alumni. Simply put, in the long term, the District can’t keep cutting its way out of this funding crisis. These significant reductions will affect the quality of education that the community expects of the Prairie du Chien School District.
Protecting the District’s future is crucial for both education and the overall well-being of our community. We'll explain why the most viable way to ensure the District’s future is through an operational referendum.
Community Survey
Your input is vital in shaping the future of the District and will help the Board make data-driven decisions that reflect the needs and values of the community. Please share your feedback by completing the perspectives survey at the link below. Please note - you may only complete the survey once.
Shall the Prairie du Chien Area School District, Crawford County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,750,000 per year for four years, beginning with the 2025-26 school year and ending with the 2028-29 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses, including maintaining educational programming?
By voting YES, the referendum will pass. By voting NO, it will not.
Why Has This Situation Happened?
School districts across the state are facing these same challenges due to increasing costs, an outdated education funding system, inadequate revenue to public schools, and a shrinking population leading to declining enrollment.
In 2024 and 2025, 241 school districts across Wisconsin, including Prairie du Chien, asked for increased revenue authority. This happened for two reasons:
From 2021-2023, school districts faced historic inflation due to COVID-19, leading to one-time federal funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
The new ESSER funding covered inflation, but did not fill the gap of the fiscal cliff caused by using one-time money.
Like 240 other school districts, including 29 of 31 in the region, Prairie du Chien faces this challenge. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not foresee changes to the funding formula. Because of this, school districts are forced to ask for taxpayer support through a referendum.
In the fall of 1993, the Wisconsin legislature instituted a limit, or control, on the revenue a school district is entitled to receive each year. The control applies to the maximum amount of revenue the district can receive from two sources:
General state aid
Select local tax levies
The state implemented revenue limits based on each district's frozen funding level, with no two districts being the same. The plan was to adjust these limits for inflation, but they have not kept pace with rising inflation rates. To raise the revenue limit, school districts must go to referendum.
Wisconsin school districts receive state aid in two forms:
General aid, which subsidizes the levy
Categorical aid, which is for specific programs
State aid, determined by a complex formula based on enrollment, spending, and property value, varies by district. While it reduces taxpayer burden, it doesn’t provide additional funds for the district to spend.
From 1994 to 2009, school district funding increased with inflation, allowing schools to meet their needs as operational costs increased. Since 2009, a state-imposed funding limit was implemented and state aid no longer increased to reflect inflation costs. By the end of 2025, the revenue limit will have fallen $3,300 per student behind inflation (wasbo.com).
Like everyone else, the District faces rising costs. It is up to the Board to ensure our schools continue to operate safely, efficiently, and provide the best resources for our students. To do so, the state requires the District to go to referendum.
The combination of the state’s aging population and declining birth rates have driven an overall decrease in school enrollment across the state since 2007. Because budgets are decided based on student enrollment, a decrease in students results in reduced funding.
How Has The District Prepared For This?
Over the past five years, the District has evaluated all resources and implemented several strategies to address operational budget challenges.
Approximately 70% of the District’s budget goes to staff salaries and benefits, a trend seen across Wisconsin, where districts typically allocate 70-75% to staffing. This funding is crucial for maintaining a well-staffed, quality education. With only 30% of the budget remaining, finding significant savings to make this big of an impact is challenging.
How Will The Referendum Impact Property Taxes?
Mill rate is the property tax homeowners pay per $1,000 of property value. From 2014 to 2022, it remained steady at $10.66. In response to increased operational needs and taxpayer feedback on new assessments, the Board restructured the capital payback schedule, lowering the rate by 43% from $10.66 to $6.11, a rate decrease of 43% for taxpayers.
How will the referendum impact your property taxes? Please use this chart as a guide to calculate the impact.
What's At Stake?
Planned staffing reductions won't offset the impact of inflation and the fiscal cliff. The Board has a last-resort plan for further cuts if the referendum fails, risking reduced student opportunities and potential enrollment declines under the current state funding formula.
As Superintendent of the Prairie du Chien School District, I want to take a moment to speak directly to you—our parents, staff, community members, and taxpayers—about an important decision facing our schools on April 1, 2025. Continue Reading...
Make An Informed Vote on April 1
Register to vote, request an absentee ballot, find your polling location, and more by clocking the link below. Your vote matters.
Superintendent Andy Banasik invites you to join him as he travels throughout the community and answers your questions about the April 1 Operating Referendum.
Monday, March 17 - 1:00 pm at Blackhawk Apartments
Saturday, March 22 - 9:00 - 11:30 am at Hoffman Hall
Wednesday, March 26 - 10:30 am at River Crest Apartments CANCELLED
