OPERATIONAL
REFERENDUM
Granton Area School District
On the Ballot: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
INVESTING IN GRANTON'S FUTURE
For generations, the Granton Area School District (GASD) has been a source of pride, and our community has long valued the important role our schools play in shaping future generations. However, GASD faces financial challenges that jeopardize our ability to provide an exceptional education to our students.
School districts in Wisconsin are primarily funded by state aid and local property taxes, and each district is subject to a state-imposed revenue limit that restricts the amount of money we can receive. These limits are influenced by factors beyond our control, including declining enrollment and inflation.
In fact, had state aid kept pace with the rate of inflation since 2009, districts like ours would receive around $3,500 more per student, per year today.
During the current school year, $357.5 million was also diverted from the state’s general public school aid to private school vouchers. As a result, GASD was one of the roughly 70% of public school districts to see a reduction in school aid—amounting to a loss of $270,091.
Expenses beyond our control continue to rise, including employee wages and benefits, utilities, transportation, food service, maintenance, property and liability insurance, and classroom materials. Current financial projections show our district facing a 2026-27 budget deficit of nearly $1 million, with the annual deficit expected to grow to more than $4.48 million through 2030-31.
We have taken steps to reduce spending in recent years. These difficult decisions included:
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Reducing special education teachers from three full-time positions to two
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Reducing the number of music teachers from two full-time positions to one
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Eliminating a full-time substitute/school nurse position
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Increasing daycare rates
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Partnering with neighboring districts for co-op sports
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Reducing the school bus fleet
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Moving the Transportation Director duties back to people in the district
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Reducing the number of days for speech services from CESA 10 from three to two
Without immediate and reliable funding, the School Board and administration will need to move forward with additional spending cuts that will impact the quality of education we can provide.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, our community will vote on an operational referendum for GASD. If it is approved by a simple majority, the district will have the authority to exceed its revenue limit by $1.25 million per year through the end of the 2030-31 school year.
Great things are happening in our schools thanks to our staff, students, and community support. Not having the funds provided by an operational referendum will slow momentum and the progress we have made.
An approved referendum will allow our district to:
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Ensure students and staff have the instructional materials and resources they need
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Maintain academic programs and extracurricular activities
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Collaborate with neighboring districts to offer more options
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Address general maintenance needs and building upkeep
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Upgrade computers and other technology
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Replenish the general fund
GASD’s current mill rate is $4.44 per $1,000 of fair market property value. An approved operational referendum would raise the mill rate to $10.05 for the 2026-27 school year. This would equate to approximately $561 for every $100,000 of fair market value in the first year.
GASD’s projected mill rate would decline throughout the lifespan of the referendum to $8.97 by 2030-31.
We understand the proposed change will be a shock to some, but the School Board respects the needs of property taxpayers and has lowered the mill rate by more than 58% since 2019. With an approved referendum, the proposed peak mill rate of $10.05 would still be lower than the rate paid by property owners in 2020 ($10.23).
A HISTORY OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
