Wausau School District to make ‘difficult decisions’ following failed referendum
WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - After voters did not approve an operational referendum on the April 1 ballot, the Wausau School District superintendent said the district’s financial situation will force them “to make some difficult decisions”.
Voters said no to a five-year, nonrecurring operational referendum. It would have allowed the Wausau School District to exceed its revenue limit by $8 million per year through the 2029-30 school year.
Superintendent Cale Bushman said no firm decisions have been made yet. However, due to the financial situation, the district will have to consider staffing reductions, delaying maintenance projects, reductions in funding for activities and/or athletics, reducing course offerings, and possible salary freezes.
Bushman said the goal is to have the “least impact on student, staff, and community experiences”.
He also thanked all the community members who took part in the operating referendum discussions over the last several months.
The district said in a FAQ page that it is facing a $3.7 million deficit for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
Voters did approve a $119.8 million capital referendum in April 2022. Money from that referendum is funding projects including middle and high school remodeling/additions, additions at Riverview, South Mountain, and Stettin elementary schools, and building a new School Forest Environmental Learning Center.
Below is the entire message sent to families, staff, and the community.
Dear Wausau School District Families and Staff:
Please allow me to take a moment to say ‘thank you’ to all of our Wausau community members who participated in the operating referendum discussion throughout the past several months. As we have stated throughout this process, a referendum is a question posed to our broader community for their opinion and direction moving forward. In this circumstance, the majority of eligible voters chose not to approve the requested operational referendum that was placed on the ballot.
With the result of the referendum vote, our current financial situation will require our district to make some difficult decisions moving forward. While no firm decisions have been made, the Wausau School Board, and district leadership, will continue to scrutinize the impact of our financial situation and weigh factors such as staffing reductions, continued deferment of maintenance projects, reductions in funding for activities/athletics, reduction of course offerings, and possible salary freezes, as we determine the best decisions to make that have the least impact on student, staff, and community experiences.
Again, I would like to thank you for your consideration of the operational referendum on April 1 and for your continued partnership as we move the District forward. Despite needing to make these difficult decisions, I want you to know that our district remains committed to providing families, students and staff with excellent experiences and opportunities. I remain extremely proud to be part of our district. A district that has amazing students, staff and families. Even with the challenges we face, I continue to be excited for the future of our district.
Please know that it will remain the goal of the Wausau School District to maintain continued communications in order to keep you informed, as we analyze and determine our next best steps.
Sincerely,
Cale Bushman
Superintendent of Schools
The Wausau School District tells NewsChannel 7 its next step will be to face the projected $3.7 million budget shortfall.
District leadership will provide options to the Wausau School Board that may include possible staffing reductions, the continued deferment of maintenance projects, reductions in funding for activities/athletics, reduction of course offerings, and possible salary freezes as ways to balance the budget.
An exact timeline for when those possible decisions will be made is still being determined. The district says it will provide answers as soon as possible while making the best decisions on how to move forward.
With the budget shortfall, the district says it will need to make enough cuts to balance that out.
It will likely take numerous School Board meetings to plan and work through what any of those cuts look like.
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