The Waukesha School District Board of Education voted 7-0 on Oct. 27 to approve a final 2025–26 tax levy of $81,142,894.

Carrie Kozlowski moved to adopt the levy; the motion was seconded by Betty Koenig. After lengthy discussion, the board approved the levy by roll call.

Board members used the levy vote to highlight a broader funding issue. One board member, identified in the transcript as Mr. Watt, told colleagues, ‘‘We learned that we were gonna be losing $5,854,000 in state aid compared to last year,’’ and criticized the state funding process that he said redistributes additional aid to districts that pass big referendums. He and other members singled out Milwaukee Public Schools, saying a large portion of the statewide increase in aid this year went to that district and reduced aid available to others.

Thomas Harland and other members asked staff about the timing of DPI calculations; CFO Darren Clark said some revenue‑limit numbers had seen small, recent adjustments but that the equalization aid number had been finalized and that boards were often working four months into the fiscal year without full clarity on final aid until mid‑October.

Why it matters: the board framed the levy as a result of structural state funding shifts, enrollment declines and the district's responsibility to maintain operations and services. Board members stressed that many districts across the state saw reductions in aid and that these dynamics would likely remain a planning concern for future budgets.

Vote and outcome: the motion to approve the final tax levy passed on a 7‑0 roll call. The board recessed after the vote and planned to reconvene for a workshop.

Ending: the board approved the levy and adjourned the budget meeting; members indicated they would continue monitoring state aid developments and consider advocacy with legislators regarding how referendum revenue interacts with state aid calculations.