Fond du Lac School District officials outline $10 million-a-year referendum to shore up operations, security and staff

Fond du Lac School District officials on a community presentation this month described a proposed April 1 operational referendum that would ask voters to authorize $10 million per year for four years to maintain current programs, cover annual maintenance and fund security upgrades at secondary schools.

District leaders said the referendum is intended to avert an approaching multi‑million‑dollar budget gap driven by unreimbursed special‑education costs, the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds and inflationary operating costs. Officials also emphasized recent academic gains the district has made while warning of potential staffing and program cuts if the measure fails.

District context and why it matters

Superintendent Dr. Jeff Flagg said the district’s state ranking has improved substantially in recent years and that those gains are fragile without new revenue. Matt Steinbeth, the district’s chief academic officer and incoming superintendent, told attendees the district has built “a strong foundation of safety, instructional support, and student accountability,” but that the district faces a “funding cliff” unless voters approve additional revenue.

Mike Gerlach, chief of finance and operations, told the presentation the referendum would ask for $10 million per year for four years. He said the funds would cover day‑to‑day operations, routine maintenance and specific security investments at the high school and possibly other buildings. “A yes vote means you support the proposed referendum plan to maintain operations including current staff and programs, continuing to cover our annual maintenance expenses, and implementing the proposed security enhancements at the high school and possibly additional schools,” Gerlach said.

Officials described the financial pressures behind the request. The district said it currently receives roughly 30 cents for every dollar it spends on special‑education services; federal pandemic relief that had funded some curriculum investments has expired; and the district has not received inflationary increases since 2009, officials said. Enrollment has declined since the mid‑2000s; presenters said the district lost roughly 386 students during the pandemic period, a change they said has not fully reversed.

Planned security work and facilities needs

Presenters described capital and security needs alongside operating costs. The district said a prior capital referendum six years ago identified $145 million in total facility needs; officials said about $47 million of necessary upgrades remained unaddressed. Fond du Lac High School was described as lacking a comprehensive security system, with more than 68 exterior doors; the district plans to add two fully secure entrances and upgrade cameras and monitoring systems at the high school, and said cameras may be added at middle and elementary schools depending on funding.

Tax impact and scenarios if referendum fails

Gerlach presented an estimated tax impact the district attributed to the proposal: an average increase of $62 per year per $100,000 of home value over four years (about $5 per month). He noted that property tax bills include multiple taxing authorities and that the district’s current mill rate was cited at $5.97 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Officials described possible cuts if voters reject the referendum. Dr. Flagg said the district would need to cut between $7 million and $9 million in the first year, which could “equate to roughly 80 to 100 positions,” increase class sizes and prompt evaluation of whether to close a school.

Academic results highlighted

District leaders pointed to recent academic gains to bolster their case for the referendum. Dr. Flagg cited external recognition that Fond du Lac has seen large reading growth over the prior two years and said the district is outperforming pre‑pandemic math levels, which presenters framed as evidence that recent investments are producing results.

What officials asked of the community

Officials urged community members to participate in the April 1 election. Presenters outlined next steps for voters and said any surplus in the first two years would be used to prioritize security upgrades at secondary schools. The district did not propose changes to existing programs beyond those tied to funding availability and said any reductions if the referendum fails would be guided by further study and administrative recommendations.

Ending

District presenters closed by inviting questions from community members and encouraging constituents to seek additional information about the referendum question and the district’s financial projections.