Oak Creek-Franklin board approves preliminary 2026–27 budget, adds 35 4K seats and approves other measures

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District board voted on July 13 to adopt preliminary budget recommendations for 2026–27 and approved a slate of operational items including an increase of 35 regular-education 4K open-enrollment seats and a change to the middle-school language requirement for sixth graders.

The budget approved at the meeting will be presented at the district’s annual meeting and is the basis for the district’s October certification. A staff presenter warned the board that state aid remains uncertain until later this year and said the preliminary plan builds a 30% increase in the voucher tax levy into the projections to account for expected shifts. “We have a heightened sensitivity around tax impact of our budget,” the staff member said, noting the district’s projections were close to the state estimate as of July 1.

Why it matters: the board’s vote sets the numbers the district will take to the annual meeting and frames what voters and residents will see in the fall. The preliminary budget package as presented assumes a 6.9% levy increase under the draft plan and includes conservative assumptions about state aid and pupil counts.

Board actions and votes at the meeting included several operational approvals that will affect staffing and enrollment. The board approved a motion to change the middle-school handbook requirement so sixth graders take a one-quarter introductory world language class; principals from the West and East middle schools explained how language offerings will be scheduled and how staffing changes will be managed to minimize long-term impacts. The board approved health-plan changes as presented and voted to add 35 regular-education 4K open-enrollment seats, bringing the 4K cap to 52 for the 2026–27 school year.

On staffing and FTEs: principals Gina Martinelli (principal, West) and Terry Culver (principal, East) told the board they expect one 7th-grade and one 8th-grade German section at each building and four sixth-grade introductory language classes at each school. Staff explained a full 1.0 FTE German reduction would leave about 0.15 FTE uncovered — affecting roughly 60 students’ ability to have two language options in sixth grade — and said the district will use preferential enrollment to prioritize students who select specific language sections.

Funding and budget detail: the staff presentation outlined that the district’s aid projection had moved since July 1 and that certified aid will not be known until October. The presenter said the budget package includes a 30% increase in the voucher tax levy in anticipation of trends and estimated the preliminary levy impact at 6.9% under current assumptions. The presenter described the projection as close to the state estimate “within about $15,000” as of July 1 and emphasized remaining uncertainties tied to the state’s final calculations and the September pupil count.

What’s next: the preliminary budget will be presented at the annual meeting; the board took the vote to approve the recommendations as presented so the document can be used for the budget hearing and the annual meeting materials. The human growth and development guidelines heard as an information item at the meeting are slated for formal approval at the Aug. 10 meeting. The board also approved granting authority to the chief business and finance officer and/or the superintendent to enter certain real-estate purchase and sale agreements related to the referendum construction program, subject to required approvals and information-sharing with the board.

Votes at a glance: - Approve agenda — passed (voice vote). - Approve consent agenda (items a–e) — passed (voice vote). - Middle-school language requirement change (6th grade to one-quarter introductory world language) — motion passed (voice vote). - Health plan changes (as presented) — motion passed (voice vote). - Increase 4K open-enrollment seats by 35 (cap to 52 for 2026–27) — motion passed (voice vote). - Approve preliminary 2026–27 budget recommendations for annual meeting presentation — motion passed (voice vote). - Authorize chief business and finance officer and/or superintendent to enter purchase/sale agreements for referendum construction program — motion passed (voice vote).

The board moved to convene in closed session later in the meeting to consider personnel matters under Wisconsin statute; a roll-call vote carried that motion.