Todd Greco outlines Dodgeland consolidation considerations after Houston outreach

Todd Greco, presenter of Dodgeland’s weekly school finance lesson, said the Dodgeland School Board will investigate whether to consolidate with a neighboring district after Houston asked surrounding districts to consider the option.

Greco said consolidation is provided for under Wisconsin law and would create a newly reorganized district. He described consolidation as a multi-step process that would require careful consideration of assets, liabilities, governance and student services.

"There’s no secret that one of our neighboring school districts, Houston, is struggling with some of their financial situation," Greco said. "As a result of that, they've reached out to a number of surrounding districts, Dodge being one of them, to see if consolidation would potentially be an option for their future moving forward." He added that Dodgeland’s board has chosen to investigate the idea further but has not made a final decision.

On the central question of debt, Greco said the newly formed district would inherit the debts brought by each predecessor district. "Yes, Dodge would assume debt from another district. But at the same time, that other district would also assume the debt that Dodge brings to the equation because again, we are forming a new entity, a new school district," he said.

Greco cautioned that mill rates (the tax levy) should remain comparable after any consolidation to avoid large swings for taxpayers, and that governance would change: a reorganized district would create its own board, which could reduce Dodgeland residents’ direct representation compared with the district’s current nine-member board.

He also listed transportation logistics, curriculum and extracurricular offerings as practical concerns that affect student pathways and school identity. "Transportation of students to and from school," he said, "and then the curriculum course offerings and extracurricular opportunities which really help to support the overall school identity and pathways forward for students."

Greco directed listeners to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards website for more information on consolidation and noted that the presentation shown in Houston is available there for people who want further details.

On the district’s current referendum revenue, Greco said consolidation would alter how those dollars are received. "If we were to move forward and consolidate with another school district, the first two years of our referendum we would obtain the $700,000 to exceed the revenue cap, but then in the final two years of the referendum, we would receive zero," he said, explaining that the finances of a newly formed school district would need to be recalculated.

Greco closed by inviting questions by email or phone and said the board will weigh whether consolidation is in the best interests of Dodgeland students and the community before making a decision later this year.