East Troy Community School District outlines $4 million in proposed cuts after failed referendum
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Summary
After voters rejected an operational referendum, district leaders presented a package of proposed reductions to close a projected $4 million structural deficit, including freezes to salaries, elimination of some positions and cuts to curriculum and summer programs; the board accepted a teacher resignation and moved into executive session to consider details.
At a meeting of the East Troy Community School District Board of Education, district administrators on the record said the failed operational referendum has left the district facing a projected structural deficit of about $4 million for 2026–27.
The superintendent told the board the shortfall “is not a future concern, it is our current reality,” and outlined line-by-line proposals that together aim to narrow the gap. Administrators said the district could save money by imposing a 0% salary freeze for all staff next year and a separate freeze for administrative salaries; cutting a proposed $400,000 targeted pay-equity pool; and trimming non-salary budgets such as athletics, technology and building supplies.
Why it matters: The proposed reductions, administrators said, would affect classroom programs and student supports. Lindsey Harris, principal at Little Prairie, described a plan to absorb two retiring elementary teachers through attrition—reducing some grades from four sections to three—and warned those changes would raise class sizes at affected grade levels. Mark Wirtz, Prairie View principal, said eliminating a currently staffed elementary counselor would increase the counselor-to-student ratio by roughly half (from about 1:325 toward 1:650), reducing time available for small-group and individual counseling.
Several proposals would cut specialized instruction and supports. The administration recommended eliminating a currently unfilled district social worker who also served as the McKinney-Vento liaison; removing a 1.0 FTE high-school special education teacher/transition coordinator (a role administrators tied to compliance and postsecondary planning); and eliminating a middle/high-school math interventionist who this year served more than 50 students. Curriculum and program cuts include removing the $150,000 curriculum adoption budget, discontinuing $21,000 in credit-reimbursement funds for teacher graduate credits, and eliminating paid summer curriculum hours (estimated savings of roughly $50,000) and the district-run summer school program (a net program loss of about $18,000 after costs), according to administration presentations.
The district also proposed program-level reductions such as eliminating the 0.5 elementary keyboarding/yearbook position and the district e-sports offering, reducing elementary music and art positions from 1.0 to 0.8 FTEs (shifting music from twice-weekly 30-minute lessons to once-weekly 45-minute lessons), and reducing department budgets by 10% (estimated $294,000). Technology staff reductions were presented as a $70,000 savings but would likely slow help-desk response and Chromebook repairs, administrators said.
Community reaction and context: Public commenters urged continued support for students and staff after the vote. Jake Hernandez, a community speaker, said district progress on achievement and morale relied on sustained investment and encouraged engagement with lawmakers in Madison. Carrie McBurney, speaking as a resident and district employee, asked the board to make choices that have the least impact on children, warning that cuts could displace “20 plus teachers” and harm programming.
Administration also outlined one-time options, including drawing $875,000 from fund balance to help in 2026–27 while warning that using fund balance is temporary and compounds future deficits. The superintendent cautioned that even with that fund-balance use the district remains short of the full projected reduction and that staff and service changes will need additional action; he described the proposals as a starting point for executive-session discussions about personnel and contracts.
What happens next: The board accepted a teacher resignation on a voice vote and adjourned to executive session to discuss staffing proposals and contract renewals. Administrators presented the proposals for board consideration and said the board will return to open session later to take motions and votes on each line item. The superintendent urged community members on both sides of the referendum debate to stay engaged as the district works through the reductions.
