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Board reviews ballot language and communications plan for proposed operational referendum

Fond du Lac School District Board of Education · January 6, 2026
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Summary

Board reviewed draft ballot language citing Wisconsin statute 121.91 for a $7.5 million-per-year, four-year operational referendum and received a draft communications calendar from staff and the Donovan Group outlining mailers, events, and multilingual materials.

During the special workshop the Fond du Lac School District Board of Education reviewed draft ballot language prepared with legal counsel and received a communications-calendar presentation from district communications staff working with the Donovan Group.

A staff member read the proposed ballot question aloud, which cites Wisconsin statute and specifies a request to exceed revenue limits “in section 121.91 of Wisconsin statutes by $7,500,000 per year for 4 years beginning with the 2026–27 school year and ending with the 2029–30 school year for nonrecurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, security upgrades, staff compensation, and educational programming.”

Board members debated the use of the word “sustain” in outreach materials and ballot-related language. One staff speaker cautioned that using “sustain” can create an implied social contract with voters; district staff said they do not view this as a sustaining referendum because it does not resolve the structural operational deficit.

Hallie, the district communications lead, presented a working communications calendar developed with the Donovan Group that includes ongoing social media posts, a pocket guide and fact sheet, two referendum mailers, three larger public events, coffee chats with local businesses, and translated materials. Hallie said the district will post materials on the district website and make printed fact sheets and packet guides available for pickup.

Staff reminded the board that district communications must be informational and cannot explicitly advocate for a particular vote, and that board members may speak individually in their personal capacity but not on behalf of the board when engaging in advocacy.

Next steps: staff will finalize outreach materials and ensure board members receive materials when they are released; staff will also deliver updated security cost estimates and visuals before the next meeting so those materials can be included in public outreach.