Superintendent says failed referendum leaves $2 million gap; district to hold listening sessions

Superintendent Nathan Black told the Nekoosa School District board that the district "failed a referendum," creating a budget shortfall the district must address. He said community feedback highlighted two central concerns—student behavior and academic performance—and that the district will hold listening sessions and meet community members where they are to rebuild trust.

"We have failed a referendum," Nathan Black said, and the district is taking the result "very much to heart," he told the board. He said the board and administration are reviewing what to change in programming and communications so a future referendum would better reflect community priorities. Black referenced a likely earliest window for a re-run as April 2026, noting state rules limit when a district can return to voters.

Black described the next steps as a mix of internal and external outreach: engaging staff for initial feedback, scheduling community listening sessions, and producing clearer printed materials and in-person outreach rather than solely digital outreach. He emphasized the need to show voters how the district would address behavior and academic concerns if additional funding is approved.

The superintendent framed the work as both operational and relational: assembling a clear plan to change practices in targeted areas, then explaining those changes to voters. The board did not take formal action on a new referendum date during the meeting; Black said more community engagement and planning would inform any future ballot timing.