Stevens Point board approves $153.52 million 2025–26 budget and $50.08 million levy

The Stevens Point Area Public School District board voted Monday to approve a $153,517,567 spending plan and a $50,084,840 tax levy for the 2025–26 fiscal year after a budget overview presentation from district finance staff.

Mike, who was introduced at the start of the hearing as the budget presenter, laid out the district’s totals: “The total revenue for all funds is a 151,326,417,” and “the total expenditures for all funds is a 153,517,567,” he said, adding that the proposed 2025–26 levy is $50,084,840 and the levy rate is $6.94 per $1,000. Mike told the board that “there are 3 main reasons” the levy is increasing: a reduction in state aid, a larger private-school voucher levy and the operational referendum hitting its first full-year impact.

Why it matters: Board members pressed for specifics because the levy increase — recorded in the presentation as a 16.39% rise — directly affects homeowner tax bills and the district’s revenue-limit authority. Mike showed that the district’s equalized valuation rose 7.2% this year, and used household examples to illustrate impact: at a $6.94 mill rate, a $200,000 home would see about $108 more in taxes.

Discussion and context: On the hearing record, staff attributed roughly $577,689 to a 1.03% drop in state aid and said the voucher levy for the district is about $3.8 million (an increase of roughly 13.8% year over year). Mike also outlined steps taken to reduce levy pressure: applying $341,000 of interest from a debt service fund and $428,000 of community service fund balance (a combined $769,000), and proactively budgeting $1.5 million into fund balance to rebuild reserves. The budget presentation identified $811,000 in further savings for 2025–26.

Board members asked whether federal funding disruptions could affect the district. Administration said the district’s federal allocations for the current year had already been certified by the Department of Public Instruction and were not expected to be affected in 2025–26, but cautioned that funding risks could appear starting mid-2026. The board also discussed FoodShare timing, backpack food programs and community donations that cover negative lunch balances; administration said families would receive resource information in an upcoming email.

Several members raised concerns about personnel costs, noting that roughly 60% of the district’s budget goes toward salaries and benefits. A board member asked how future CPI-driven salary changes would be budgeted; staff said salary and benefit increases already approved last spring were included and that any new decisions would come back to the board in the spring once CPI figures are known.

Enrollment and revenue implications: Staff highlighted declining enrollment as a continuing challenge: the three-year rolling average showed a net decline of roughly 67 FTE, with one year showing a larger drop since the COVID period. Staff said the district has engaged a consultant to produce multi-year enrollment projections that will come to the board in November to guide long-term planning.

School vouchers: The presentation called out the voucher levy’s growing share of total levies (about 7.6%) and showed voucher amounts vary by grade: approximately $10,008.77 for K–8, about $13,371 for grades 9–12 and $16,049 for the special-needs scholarship voucher rate. Staff warned the statutory cap on voucher eligibility is set to expire next year; absent legislative change, that could allow more voucher authorizations and increase district levy pressure.

Vote and outcome: The board took a roll-call vote on the motion to approve the 2025–26 budget and levy. The clerk recorded votes as follows: Miss Mercer — Yes; Mister Kowalski — Yes; Mister Liebrecht — Yes; Miss Potter Nelson — Yes; Mister Summers — Present; Mister Lipak — Yes; Miss Bushman — Yes; Mister Pope — Yes; Miss Erler — Yes. The chair announced the motion carries and the budget was approved.

Next steps: With board approval, the district will implement the 2025–26 budget and proceed with monthly monitoring and the enrollment-analysis work promised to the board. Administration also committed to sharing resources with families affected by near-term FoodShare changes.