Waunakee board holds special discussion on 4K as state program forces partner choices; $5,000–$5,500 payment scenarios reviewed

Waunakee Community School District leaders convened a special meeting to discuss upcoming state changes to 4K funding and to map a rapid local response for the 2026–27 school year. Staff reviewed state budget provisions, proposed potential district payments to 4K providers, and scheduled a budget committee review and action timeline to inform partners before they must decide whether to join the state program.

Steve, a district presenter, told the board that under the 2025–27 state budget’s Get Kids Ready program, “Providers may not participate in Get Kids Ready if they also contract with the public school district to provide 4K in the same year.” He said that restriction creates an immediate decision point for local partners and the district. Dr. Brown said the district first learned about the policy change in August and brought the topic before the board so members could weigh short‑ and long‑term options.

District staff outlined a tight calendar: the budget committee will meet Dec. 1 to review detailed, grade‑by‑grade and school‑by‑school financial scenarios; the board could consider a contract offer to partners at the Dec. 8 meeting; a follow‑up partner meeting is planned for Dec. 15; and staff asked partners to notify the state of their choices by Dec. 19. Staff emphasized the district must finalize its open‑enrollment plan early in January because enrollment windows and classroom assignments depend on that decision.

Staff presented multiple scenarios modeled by the district’s budget software. One scenario would increase the district reimbursement to 4K providers from the current local payment level (discussed in the meeting as about $3,600) to $5,000 per student; partners had communicated a request for $5,500. Dr. Brown summarized the short‑term proposal: “The proposal on the table for the board to think about is increasing the dollar amount to $5,500.”

Board members pressed staff on the fiscal implications. Joan said from the snapshot shown, increasing payments could cost roughly $500,000 in the first year and asked whether a referendum would be necessary. Steve warned the board that a different fiscal risk is losing 4K student count under the state formula: when local 4K counts decline, state equalization aid can fall and local property taxpayers would face an increase to cover the difference. Staff said the initial high‑level scenario did not yet incorporate possible offsets such as reducing the number of kindergarten sections or opening additional open‑enrollment slots to bring in revenue; those refinements will be part of the Dec. 1 budget committee presentation.

Staff also proposed creating a community 4K task force (parents, 4K partners, district staff, special‑education staff and business partners) to examine longer‑term models — for example, full‑day 4K, districts hiring licensed teachers to place in partner sites, or housing 4K in district buildings. Staff said such studies require more time than the immediate calendar allows but would help guide later policy decisions.

Several partners and board members said some partner sites are operating at a loss under the current reimbursement. Staff said partners had communicated a $5,500 per‑student request as an example of what some centers believe would let them operate more sustainably, but staff did not claim to have audited each provider’s books. Miranda (district staff present) and other staff agreed to supply retention and transition numbers (how many 4K children remain in the district’s kindergarten the following year) and to present more detailed cost and enrollment data at the Dec. 1 meeting.

No formal policy decision was made at the special meeting; the board held only procedural votes to approve the agenda and to adjourn. The board directed staff to advance the December and January timeline items and return with refined budget scenarios, enrollment projections and additional information for board consideration.