Waunakee board approves fourth draft of 2025 budget and tax levy after enrollment, state‑aid changes

At a special tax‑levy meeting, the Waunakee Community School District board approved the fourth draft of the 2025 budget and the proposed tax levy by roll call vote after hearing administration presentations and discussion.

The board approved “the fourth draft of the budget and the tax levy as presented tonight,” the chair said before the vote. Administration said the updated materials reflect October data, including the district’s student count from the third Friday in September and October equalized property values of $5,500,000,000.

Why it matters: administration said a combination of declining enrollment and state budget outcomes required adjustments to the district’s revenue projections. Steve, an administration presenter, summarized the fiscal pressures: "What's new is the student count ... we did see a decline in our student enrollment," and reported that state equalization aid came in roughly $1,300,000 lower than the district had initially anticipated. He said district staff used updated enrollment and grants data to refine revenue and expenditure estimates.

What the board approved: the materials the board approved included the…