Burlington Area School District urges vote on referendum to close long-running funding gap

Burlington Area School District spokesperson said, "Our public schools are the cornerstone of our community," and urged residents to vote on a local referendum on or before April 1 to secure funding for programs, staffing and operations.

The district's statement said Wisconsins revenue-limit policy caps how much districts may spend per student and has not kept pace with inflation since 2010. "By the end of 2025, the revenue limit will have fallen more than $3,300 per student behind inflation," the spokesperson said, and the district estimated that for roughly 3,000 students that gap represents "almost $10,000,000."

District officials described how the revenue limit shifts additional costs onto local general funds when state aid falls short. The statement listed staffing as the largest portion of the budget and said districts often respond to funding shortfalls by deferring maintenance, cutting programs or reducing staff. The spokesperson said the referendum "would secure funding for essential educational programs, staffing, and operational costs, ensuring continued high quality education for all students." The statement emphasized that state policymakers have not fixed the revenue-limit structure and urged immediate local action.

The district also outlined where costs typically go, naming staffing, curriculum, technology, transportation, operations and maintenance. It said revenue caps are set per district and are not tied to individual student needs, and that the district must use general-fund dollars to cover unmet costs.

The announcement closed with a direct appeal to voters: "Our children don't have time to wait for state policymakers to fix the school funding system. ... Learn more about school finance in Wisconsin by visiting our website, and don't forget to vote on or before April 1." The district did not specify the referendum's ballot language, tax rate, or the precise amount the measure would raise.