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Green Bay schools project $3.6M Fund‑10 shortfall; board told to plan for a referendum
Summary
The district presented a proposed 2025–26 general operating budget that includes a projected $3.6 million deficit driven by state aid changes, rising voucher/open‑enrollment costs and enrollment declines; board discussed using reserves short term and beginning referendum planning.
The Green Bay Area Public School District presented a preliminary 2025–26 general operating (Fund‑10) budget at its Oct. 13 meeting showing a projected shortfall of about $3.6 million.
Chief financial staff and the district’s finance director told the board the deficit stems from a set of state policy changes and local enrollment shifts: a state 1‑year per‑pupil revenue‑limit allowance ($325 per pupil) that was not fully offset with additional state aid, a material increase in the per‑student payment rate for private‑school vouchers and independent charter authorizer payments and continued enrollment declines that reduce the district’s revenue limit base.
Key points
- Projected shortfall: The administration presented a $3.6 million projected operating deficit for 2025–26 in Fund‑10, attributable to a roughly $3.3 million decrease in state aid relative to prior expectations, a roughly $1 million estimated increase in voucher payments and higher net open‑enrollment payouts even though headcount moved down slightly.
- Enrollment and revenue drivers: District fall membership counts showed a decline (about 386 FTE on the revenue‑limit formula), which reduces annual district revenue because Wisconsin’s K‑12 funding is tightly linked to student counts; the district also described an 8.77% average increase in equalized property values in the community, which affects local mill‑rate calculations.
- Transfers and pressure on special education: The district continues to transfer a substantial amount from Fund‑10 to Fund‑27 (special education); the budget includes about $32.4 million in transfers to cover special‑education operations. The district expects only a modest increase in state high‑cost special‑education reimbursement and is budgeting conservatively.
Board response and next steps
Board members and the superintendent stressed the district should avoid deep, immediate reductions to staff compensation or steps. The board discussed using fund balance in the short term while preparing for a longer‑range solution.
District leaders said they will return at the Oct. 27 meeting with final state aid (equalized aid) numbers and private‑school voucher counts (both are certified by the state Oct. 15), update the mill‑rate estimate and lay out next steps for an operational referendum. The district plans to begin formal referendum planning for November 2026 and to provide the board with options and public outreach plans.
Ending
Administrators said the shortfall requires multi‑year planning, not one‑time cuts, and that the district will bring revised numbers and referendum scenarios to the board’s next meeting.
