The School District of Jefferson is a big point of pride in our community. In partnership with the community, the mission and vision of the district are "Empowering Futures Together" so that all students positively impact society.
While we are proud of our successes, the district also faces significant financial challenges. These challenges are largely out of our control and tied to the state’s school funding formula, a lack of aid to public schools in recent years, and rapidly increasing costs.
On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, SDOJ residents will vote on an operational referendum question to address these challenges and ensure a bright future for our schools and the students we serve.
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The needs of our students and the demands on our district have escalated, especially in the realms of special education and mental health services. Our school district faces critical needs that necessitate local support through the proposed referendum.
Minimal state aid and a state-imposed revenue limit, coupled with the end of ESSER funding, have not kept up with inflationary pressures and student needs. The district continues to adapt and right-size to our evolving community, but we worry that additional reductions will severely impact the quality education our community has come to know and expect from our schools.
Over the last decade school operational costs have increased, state funding has not kept up with inflationary pressures and student needs, and the overall enrollment of the District has declined. This coming year will also mean the end of ESSER funding which altogether leads to a significant fiscal cliff and budget deficit despite responsible fiscal management.
Without the community's support, maintaining comprehensive instructional and co-curricular programs, student support and mental health services, safety and technology infrastructure, as well as sustaining salary and benefits, would be challenging.
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On April 2, 2024, the Jefferson Board of Education is asking our community to approve an operational referendum. If it is approved, the district will be able to exceed its state-imposed revenue limit by $2.1 million per year over the next four years. The referendum would then expire unless voters approved a new referendum.
The funding secured through this proposed referendum is vital to ensure our district can avoid significant cuts to essential programs, services, and staffing across our schools, safeguarding the overall well-being and education of our students.
Our top priorities would be maintaining:
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Like all Wisconsin districts, the School District of Jefferson has a state-imposed revenue limit based on a formula established in 1993. This outdated formula, paired with minimal state aid for public schools in recent years, has led many school districts to seek local support through operational referendums. Over the last decade, more than half of Wisconsin districts have received similar approval from voters.
SDOJ has been actively right-sizing to control expenditures and adapt to the evolving needs of our community. The District has already made significant cuts to balance the budget, including $400,000 alone over the past year. SDOJ continues to engage in strategic financial decision-making to provide the greatest educational experience for our students despite growing needs and limited resources.
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One of the most significant challenges facing school districts like ours is the lack of predictable, sustainable funding. This funding supports the operational costs of our district including staffing, maintenance, programming, student supports, safety, technology, and more.
School District costs continue to significantly exceed the revenue we receive from the state budget. Looking ahead, even after district-rightsizing efforts and budget cuts, without a passed referendum SDOJ will face a projected deficit of $1.67 million in the 2024-2025 school year with our budget forecast models showing significant projected budget deficits over the next four years.
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Our focus will always be to ensure students graduate with the best education possible, but, without additional funding, our District will need to start a significant budget reduction process beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. This may mean increased class sizes, reduction of staff, reducing instructional & co-curricular programs, and reducing budget allocations, all of which would limit the District's ability to recruit and retain quality employees.
In order to address the deficit the District would need to utilize strategies such as:
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With an approved referendum on April 2, residents would see a projected property tax increase of $1.13 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. If the referendum passes, the district’s total mill rate (or property tax rate) is projected to be $10.17, still the second-lowest rate in over a decade. The increased school levy tax credit (SLTC) will help offset this impact. You can find that amount listed on your tax bill.
The SLTC was increased in the 2023-2025 state biennium as a way for residents to save on taxes. This credit is given out by the Department of Revenue based on how much each area contributes to school taxes compared to the whole state over the past three years. The more a community pays in school taxes relative to the rest of the state, the higher the credit they receive. It’s one of the ways that state legislators chose to support schools and communities in this biennium by providing an increase to give back to communities that contribute more to school funding by offering them credits on their taxes.
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