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Antigo board renews 4K partnership with All Saints for two years after legal question
Summary
The Unified School District of Antigo voted to renew its 4K program at All Saints Catholic School for two years despite unresolved questions about whether the arrangement fits Department of Public Instruction rules; the final motion passed 5–1–1 after unsuccessful amendments and a failed one‑year substitute motion.
The Unified School District of Antigo Board of Education voted to renew its 4K partnership with All Saints Catholic School for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years, the board announced at its meeting.
Board members debated whether the arrangement was permissible under state rules after district staff reported they had asked the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for guidance but had not yet received a definitive reply. Dr. Barto said the district should proceed with caution: "if DPI comes back and says the program is not legal, we will have to drop that," and board members discussed adding explicit language to the motion tying renewal to DPI confirmation.
The board first considered an amendment to the two‑year renewal that would have added the phrase "pending confirmation that the 4K program is legal and binding from DPI." That amendment failed 6–1. A substitute motion to renew the arrangement for one year (2025–26 only) tied for votes and failed 3–3. The original two‑year motion then passed on the main vote: 5 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention.
Why it matters: Board members said the decision is both a legal and a financial one. District business staff explained the payment structure for 4K slots that the district provides at private partner sites, and trustees weighed short‑term revenue from the arrangement against longer‑term enrollment patterns.
Board discussion and fiscal context: During debate, Director of Business Services Kelly Fassbender explained the fiscal mechanics the committee and board examined. Board members referenced the district's per‑pupil revenue and the share paid for 4K seats hosted at All Saints. One board member said a rough calculation showed the district would need roughly three of every four 4K students to return to district classrooms immediately to break even if the district ended the partnership.
Several trustees noted historically that families who enroll at All Saints for 4K tend to remain there through later grades; that pattern was a central point in the board's decision to keep the partnership in place for two years rather than one.
What the motion does and limits: The vote approves the district's contractual association with All Saints for two school years beginning 2025–26. The board recorded that if DPI later determines the arrangement does not conform to state requirements, the district would have to end the arrangement immediately.
Votes at a glance: Amendment adding "pending DPI confirmation" — failed (1 yes, 6 no). Substitute motion (one year) — failed (3 yes, 3 no). Final main motion — passed (5 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain).
Next steps: District administration will continue to seek formal written guidance from DPI and will relay any directive from the state agency to the board.
