Matt Steinbarth, the new superintendent of the Fond du Lac School District, said he will spend significant time preparing for a possible operational referendum and restoring teacher collaboration time that he said was lost after last year’s budget vote. "If we go to referendum again, I'm gonna be pouring a lot of time into making sure if we go to referendum that that can pass," Steinbarth said in a recorded interview.

Steinbarth told the program the referendum is tied to classroom supports and student outcomes. He said one priority is returning planning and collaboration time at the middle- and high-school levels so teachers can perform data-driven instruction (DDI) and respond to assessment information. "I want to make sure that that's rounded K–12," he said, describing DDI as a way for teachers to "look at information coming in from student assessments and making plans on that."

Why it matters: Steinbarth framed the referendum as a funding mechanism to preserve or restore staff time and programs that directly affect students. He cited recent budget decisions that led to nonrenewals and vacancies and said the district must weigh community tax preferences when crafting proposals.

The district previously did not pass a referendum, and Steinbarth said that outcome informed difficult staffing choices. He described an April–May nonrenewal process that aimed to align staffing with the district’s budget and said the timing was chosen so the district would start the next school year "being within our budget." He added the district rehired many teachers after that period through the normal hiring process. "We were fortunate to bring many of those teachers back," he said.

Steinbarth also quantified recent academic progress at the elementary level, saying the proportion of elementary students reading at grade level had risen from about 30% four years ago to about 50% now; he called further increases an objective but did not set a guaranteed target. He said he wants incremental gains and expects continued focus on assessment-driven planning.

On curriculum and delivery, Steinbarth emphasized compliance with state academic standards and local board approval of instructional resources. "When we talk about curriculum, remember we're in the state of Wisconsin that has Wisconsin academic standards. So anything we do really by law has to follow the Wisconsin academic standards," he said. He stressed that teachers need time to learn new resources and that the district must preserve rigor while improving delivery and student engagement.

Discussion versus formal action: The interview recorded Steinbarth’s intentions and explanations but did not capture any formal board motions or district votes. He identified community attitudes about taxation and spending as a major influence on district decisions and said he will listen to multiple stakeholders while recognizing that, as superintendent, he must make final decisions.

Steinbarth framed his leadership around a two-word purpose statement: "ignite opportunities." He said the phrase guides how he evaluates programs and proposals, asking how choices expand opportunities for students.

Clarifying details discussed in the interview included the timing of teacher nonrenewal notices required under Wisconsin law, the district’s rehiring process after the nonrenewals, and the report of about 85 district staff positions that were not filled going into the next year. Steinbarth characterized implementation of some priorities as contingent on community support for funding measures.