Wisconsin schools seek hundreds of millions for capital projects

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On April 1, Wisconsin voters will again decide whether to allow schools more money for construction and maintenance projects.

There will be 88 referendums in communities statewide asking voters to expand operating budgets, pay for improvements to school facilities, or both, data from the Wisconsin Department of Instruction showed. The Wisconsin Policy Forum found voters passed 169 of 241 school referendums statewide in 2024, the highest record since 1998.

Schools will ask for around $1.42 billion in issue debt, non-recurring and recurring referendums, early data from DPI showed.

There will be some 33 referendums asking to issue debt, which can cover school improvements and new construction projects. School district boards can approve ballot questions to allow borrowing for a one-time capital project. Voters can also decide whether to raise property taxes beyond the state’s revenue limit to fund ongoing operation costs.

The Oshkosh Area School District asked for $197.8 million to pay for a new school district and a facility improvement project.

The referendum focuses on a consolidation plan for district facilities, student safety and improving learning spaces with a zero-tax increase to the debt levy, school district officials said. If voters approve, the district will be able to build a consolidated middle school cutting west side middle schools from three to two, additions at several elementary schools and converting one middle school into a pre-K and recreation center, officials added.

The school district also wants to build an auditorium at Oshkosh North High School and install air conditioning at three elementary schools.

The Arrowhead Union High School District asked for $136.2 million to build additions and renovations to the North Campus building to consolidate into one high school building at Arrowhead High School. The project calls for the demolition of the South Campus building.

Additional projects with big price tags include the Sheboygan Falls School District with a $70 million request and the Baraboo School District, which asked for $69.9 million including improvements on two elementary schools.

Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan research organization, said the rising number of referenda late last year was due to per-pupil revenue limits not catching up with inflation. This can restrict how much money districts can raise through property taxes and state aid, the report added.

Dwindling federal relief after the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing wages also played a role in increased referendums, the report showed.