Barr-Reeve board votes to place operating referendum on Nov. 3, 2026 ballot

The Barr-Reeve Community Schools board voted to place an operating referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot after administrators outlined persistent funding shortfalls and recent state tax changes.

Administrator Andrea told the board Barr-Reeve ranks among the lowest-funded districts in the state and said the district has lost significant revenue to circuit-breaker caps and other legislative changes. She said the district’s prior referendum will remain in place through 2028 unless voters approve the new question in November. "We are preparing for the future," Andrea said, noting the referendum funds small class sizes, student mental-health supports, an SRO, additional nursing coverage and elementary music and physical education programs.

The presentation included two cost figures required by state law: the full statutory maximum and the district’s expected impact. Andrea said the ballot must list the maximum statutory amount (the presentation showed a $454-per-year figure on a $250,000 median residence as required by drafting rules) but that the administration estimates the incremental change a median homeowner would see compared with the current referendum at about $42 per year (roughly $3.50 per month).

Administrators described several drivers of the shortfall: Barr-Reeve receives relatively low basic state funding per pupil, the district ranks toward the bottom of statewide funding tables, and revenue losses from the state’s circuit-breaker mechanism have grown (administration cited a jump from about $8,500 to about $130,000 in recent years as illustrative of the trend). State law changes under SEA 1 also shift how school taxes are calculated and could reduce local revenue through 2031, the presentation said.

Board members asked for clarifications about the ballot language and outreach; Andrea said the district will post slides and a spending plan on the district website and will follow legal guidance and communications directions provided by counsel (Ice Miller) and financial advisors (Baker Tilly). She emphasized the district can adjust the referendum spending plan annually through the budget process.

After questions, a board member moved to approve the resolution placing the referendum on the November ballot; a second was offered and the board approved the resolution by voice vote.

Next steps: the district will finalize ballot language consistent with legal counsel’s instructions, continue community messaging to explain the difference between the full statutory figure and the district’s projected homeowner increase, and proceed with the campaign timeline and legal filings required to place the question before voters.