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District weighs two health-insurance options and braces for compensation negotiations
Summary
Staff told the Waunakee budget committee that two health-insurance options will be recommended to the full board—one aligning with current 2025–26 budget assumptions and another that would increase plan costs roughly twice as much. The committee also heard that compensation discussions, including WTA negotiations, will shape the May budget draft.
Waunakee Community School District staff on April 8 told the budget committee they have two distinct health-insurance proposals to present to the full board in mid-April and that the choice will affect the 2025–26 budget and subsequent personnel decisions.
Allie (staff member) summarized two offers: one from GHC with an estimated 5% premium increase, which aligns with the district’s current 2025–26 planning assumptions, and one from Dean/SSM with an estimated 10% increase. Staff said the 5% option was included in a staff survey so employees were aware of the trade-offs between the two rates. The meeting record shows the budget impact between the two proposals is “roughly a quarter of a million dollars.”
Staff also said the Dean/SSM proposal includes an additional clinical contribution to the district’s wellness clinic: adding a behavioral-health specialist one day per week. That specialist is included in Dean/SSM’s bid and would not be part of the GHC proposal unless the district funds it directly. Staff characterized the clinic specialist cost as small relative to the insurance premium difference—“probably only in the $15,000 to $20,000 range compared to the $250,000 range for the difference,” as noted in committee discussion.
Committee members were told the first draft of the 2025–26 budget to be released in May includes a CPI wage increase, continuation of the district’s compensation systems, and “the first half of the increase for hourly staff.” Staff said the district has a scheduled negotiation session with the WTA (referenced in the meeting by acronym) in April; the HR committee must meet before the May board meeting to review handbook changes tied to benefits and compensation.
Staff noted a separate budget adjustment issue from state reporting: a Department of Public Instruction (DPI) special education categorical aid reporting discrepancy reduced anticipated aid from roughly 33% to 29.1%, creating about a $425,000 shortfall the district is working to accommodate through internal reallocations and fund transfers.
The committee did not take a final vote on insurance selection April 8; staff said the insurance committee will make a recommendation to the board Monday and the board will consider it at the full-board meeting. The HR committee will evaluate handbook and benefit implications if the board chooses the higher-cost plan.
Ending: Staff will present the insurance committee recommendation to the board and will return with a May budget draft reflecting the committee’s choices and WTA negotiation outcomes. The HR committee has been asked to meet before the May board meeting to advise on handbook/benefit changes.
