[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5977329,"mediaKeyId","5817050-686eda3215ee67c0874d5c45d1ebcc69","parentId",5817050,"title","Sparta board backs $7.00 mill rate for annual meeting, approves $2.5 million cash-flow borrowing option","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2638000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5817050-686eda3215ee67c0874d5c45d1ebcc69&start=2638&end=2638","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5817050-686eda3215ee67c0874d5c45d1ebcc69/thumbnail_2638000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5977329/Wisconsin/Sparta-board-backs-700-mill-rate-for-annual-meeting-approves-25-million-cash-flow-borrowing-option","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977329-cf6624e7affac198a1884564c8fe3cca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770706521&Signature=Qmj9Zpg6jjRRKtZTMXDgqHGfCBDbXxCV6TBVgP1E8XkIGgWwWHxYWA64NfwNqgkDWwOCOHJPxIkMPUKqyrtWHjlZ6zjCK-y-8OhBQPU0MWSDj03veq1UCJRqq7T-7CdY3pld9g3XTyjuibh7kAVEa8KEdo~dMvA3dsD9LUi0KUNcdn22FV6xtiqtrRSXzpg4hfGOK8Mu4E29uhbmJuoer7t-Rv-tkBd700Y-okV3A8VpPFlI0KKhJMF8Ux3bWwX5w41mGehYPL6wfaPyPCwbr148QWc8OQVMaPx70OgHy5lOLfpmUs8bU5DUPK2H1YzUj2CIpXynMbsoPjyPXNriSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","SASD Board of Education, WI","date","2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","article","At the Sparta Area School District board meeting on 2025-09-22, Miss Houser, a district staff presenter, reviewed the proposed 2025–26 operating budget and asked the board to recommend a tax levy mill rate to publish ahead of the Oct. 21 annual meeting. After discussion and two roll-call votes, the board agreed to present a $7.00 total mill rate to voters for the annual meeting and separately approved a short-term cash-flow borrowing resolution not to exceed $2,500,000.

Houser summarized the district's finance picture: the district ended the prior year about $300,000 positive; projected revenue for 2025–26 is down roughly $600,000 while expenses are projected to rise about $800,000, creating a projected deficit of about $1.1 million. The board had set aside $1.5 million in reserves for revenue stabilization; using roughly $1.1 million of that would leave an estimated fund balance of about $9.5 million, which Houser said is roughly in line with the board’s 18% fund-balance policy and necessary for cash flow.

Houser presented three levy options that combine the revenue-limit (operations) levy, a debt-service levy linked to the facility referendum, and a community-service levy. She said the operations (revenue-limit) component would amount to roughly $2.83 per $1,000 of equalized property value under current estimates. The district’s facility referendum debt component was presented as a roughly $3.49 debt-service mill rate tied to previously approved referendum obligations.

Board members debated tradeoffs between short-term tax stability and using the district’s ability to levy additional debt-service now to reduce long-term borrowing costs and create state aid advantages next year. Houser explained that increasing debt service this year could produce additional state aid next year and make a future operating referendum’s local net impact smaller; several board members characterized that approach as a lever that can be shifted between debt and operations.

The board first voted on a motion to present a $7.10 mill rate to the annual meeting. The motion failed on a 3–4 roll call (Yes: Dr. Burnett, Mr. Wells, Mr. Burns Gilbert; No: Mrs. Lopez, Mr. McKenna, Mr. Gonkey, Ms. Behrens). A subsequent motion to present a $7.00 mill rate passed 6–1 (Yes: McKenna, Burnett, Behrens, Gonkey, Burns Gilbert, Wells; No: Lopez). The board then approved the budget posting as presented by a 6–1 vote (Lopez dissenting).

On a separate agenda item, the board approved a resolution authorizing taxable cash-flow borrowing not to exceed $2,500,000, with roll-call approval 7–0. Later in the meeting the board voted 7–0 to move into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) to consider employment and performance data for public employees; no public details were discussed after the closed session vote on the record.

No final operating referendum was approved at the meeting; Houser and members noted that an operating referendum could be necessary for the 2026–27 fiscal year because the current operating referendum amount ($750,000) will expire and projected budget pressures could require additional local revenue. Houser said final numbers for the current budget and levy will be certified around Oct. 15 and that the dollar amounts published now for the annual meeting notice may change slightly before the district’s final levy certification.

The board did not adopt additional budget policy changes at the meeting. Members asked administrators to continue refining projections, monitor enrollment and property value updates, and prepare communications for the annual meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SASD Boardroom 9.22.2025","oneSentenceSummary","After extended discussion and a failed motion for $7.10, the Sparta Area School District board voted 6-1 to present a $7.00 mill rate at the Oct. 21 annual meeting and approved a cash-flow borrowing resolution not to exceed $2.5 million.","taxTitle","Sparta Area School District, School Districts, Wisconsin","taxId",55388,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},5977335,"Sparta district reports four seclusion or restraint incidents; board hears training and prevention steps",934,1373000,2307000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5817050-686eda3215ee67c0874d5c45d1ebcc69&start=1373&end=2307","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5817050-686eda3215ee67c0874d5c45d1ebcc69/thumbnail_1373000.jpg","/articles/5977335/Wisconsin/Sparta-district-reports-four-seclusion-or-restraint-incidents-board-hears-training-and-prevention-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977335-df2d80586d4745afda80bcf8ed016e55/orig.mp4?Expires=1770706521&Signature=cLYeFSQ05E0fw4GQKdXQlw-RIWy9xSVvotwOZ-RSq-sNQL85PnklOz1q1KH1J99Ir5Lvzig5q1R2S0O2yRmOOUgRgHHnjKIJrwQtEz~hUFW~69~BaDJ4t0N6mhOwNqai2Q0LZAHqFnMJf1HyoyDqjY0nVponiPLoUrkqSrul5361w~Ajr30Sqeh4qJAR5E5gT~CLOTXbgTmlUbtCsgg0TuCmggb7T57SRzIzepYtObBbvV5PbOK62mcIpS01CtT6spqsrL7rkbyjo9UHVw7FRqDCioMaf9l7EgBzbsjvYjiBa2tWI3j21LnqgVqg3wBzkfjcqCf99Cprg1MQJLMOUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Sparta Area School District board meeting on 2025-09-22, Miss Molland, a district staff member, presented the district's annual report on seclusion and restraint, saying the district recorded four total instances last year affecting three students and that none of those students were identified as having disabilities. The only location reported was Southside Early Learning Center.

The report explained definitions used by the district. \"Seclusion means the involuntary confinement of a student apart from other students in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving,\" Molland said. \"Restraint ... immobilizes or reduces ability of a student to freely move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head.\" She said such practices are used only in rare cases where a student's behavior presents an imminent risk of harm to the student or others.

The report outlined prevention and training steps the district has taken. Molland said the district provided a one-hour CPI de-escalation basics training for all staff who work directly with students this year and continues to offer more extensive hands-on training for staff who are more likely to work with students prone to escalation. The district also uses functional behavior assessments, positive behavior intervention plans, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS), universal and individualized social-emotional instruction, and a neurosequential model in education that trained more than 100 staff through a state grant. She said teams debrief after every incident.

Board members pressed for clarification about who may use seclusion or restraint and when. \"If there is imminent harm, anybody really does\" have authority to act, Molland said, adding that staff who work with higher-risk students are more fully trained on hands-on techniques and safe restraint methods. She said the district reviews individual education programs (IEPs) after repeated incidents for students with disabilities.

Board member Miss Lopez asked which staff have authority to restrain or seclude a student; Molland answered that, in imminent-harm situations, responsible adults must act and that the district identifies staff in each building to receive more extensive training. Another board member raised the idea of more frequent or earlier behavioral reviews for young students to reduce escalation risk, and Molland said the district holds ongoing problem-solving meetings for students who struggle the most.

Molland credited state policy and tighter legal language introduced in 2011 and 2019 with contributing to the long-term decline in incidents. \"We were required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to report on seclusion and restraint statistics,\" she said, citing the reporting requirement and recent legislation as part of the context for lower rates.

Board discussion included concerns about staff safety, lost instructional time for classmates when a classroom is disrupted, and whether more staff should receive the more extensive hands-on training. Molland emphasized the district’s emphasis on prevention and that seclusion and restraint remain lawful only when there is imminent risk of harm.

The board did not take formal policy action during the discussion. The presentation closed with members thanking Molland and asking for continued emphasis on prevention, training, and post-incident review.","At the Sept. 22 Sparta Area School District board meeting, staff reported four instances of seclusion or restraint last year — involving three students at Southside Early Learning Center — and outlined training, debriefing and prevention measures the district has adopted.","actionData","errors"]

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Sparta board backs $7.00 mill rate for annual meeting, approves $2.5 million cash-flow borrowing option

Sparta district reports four seclusion or restraint incidents; board hears training and prevention steps