More than half of school referendums failed in 2005 More than half of school referendums throughout the state this year failed.
In total, only about 47% of the 96 referendums passed, down from last year when 58% of all referendums passed, according to statistics from the state Department of Public Instruction.
School districts are forced to go to referendum for permission to exceed state-imposed spending caps, which have left most districts struggling to meet the basic educational needs of children. The state's school funding system is in such disarray that many districts have had no choice but to cut programs and staff, and some are even on the verge of bankruptcy.
WEAC President Stan Johnson said voters continuously show their support for Wisconsin's great schools, but it should not fall on the laps of Wisconsin voters to remedy crisis after crisis, brought about by an inept school funding system.
"Every year, revenue caps are increasingly harming the quality of education in our schools," Johnson said. "Next year will be no different without a change in the school funding formula."
In November, referendums fared better than the yearlong average – six failed and nine passed, including one that stopped the state's only county-wide school district in Florence County from shutting down.
Florence residents voted 1,424 to 1,253 to exceed revenue caps by $4.75 million over five years, and only 443 voters said they approved of dissolving the district compared to 2,210 who voted to keep it open.
De Pere and Kenosha also celebrated victories in November. In De Pere, voters approved spending $21 million to build a new elementary school, add on to an existing high school and purchase land. Kenosha voters overwhelmingly approved two large referendums – $14.9 million for a new elementary school and renovations, and $6.9 million for physical education facility improvements, including new locker rooms, training and weight rooms.
The six referendums that failed in November include a $14.8 million project in the Delavan-Darien school district to buy land and build a new elementary school, and a $10.8 million referendum in Wrightstown to remodel and upgrade the elementary and middle schools.
April was an especially disappointing month when 70% of 40 referendums statewide failed, including nine of 10 referendums in the Milwaukee area.
Statewide, schools have declined as a share of property taxes statewide, and teacher salaries are losing ground to inflation and teacher pay nationally. Since revenue controls were imposed in 1993, schooling declined from 53% to 43% of all property taxes collected statewide.
Of the state's nine largest dollar-amount referendums, four passed and five failed. According to the Department of Public Instruction Web site:
- February: Waunakee, $20.75 million, passed
- February: Monona Grove, $39.9 million, failed
- April: Galesville-Ettrick, $22.8 million, failed
- April: Johnson Creek, $21 million, failed
- April: Madison, $26.197 million, passed
- April: Marshfield, $21.3 million, passed
- October: Middleton-Cross Plains, $36.475 million, failed
- April: Somerset, $29.5 million, failed
- November: Depere $21 million, passed
Specifically, 55 of the 96 referendums this year asked to exceed revenue controls, and only 49% passed. The remaining 41 referendums were new building projects and only about 44% passed.
See all referendums at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us
Posted December 13, 2005