In Wisconsin, school funding is complex, with an intricate state formula that provides aid and caps how much districts can levy. And today, districts are increasingly relying on referendums just to operate.
Waunakee Rotarians learned more about the Waunakee Community School District’s funding and the district itself when Superintendent Dr. Monica Kelsey-Brown and Director of Operations Steve Summers presented on Feb. 19.
This is Dr. Brown’s second year as the district’s superintendent. When she first came to Waunakee, she said to the school board that with all of its resources, there is no reason Waunakee should not be the No. 1 district in Dane County, she told Rotary Club members.
And this year, on the statewide report cards, the district did achieve the highest score of those located solely within Dane County.
Dr. Brown shared other achievements, as well, including the first Soup with Sup (for superintendent) parent advisory meeting, students achieving AP Gold Honors, a new principal coming on board at Heritage Elementary School as current principal Dan Carter prepares to retire, and a new therapy dog in the district.
The district also has a high employee retention rate that has improved over the years although several administrative staff plan to retire.
Funding
The improved employee retention can be credited in part to the district’s last referendum, approved in 2024, when a portion was allocated for salaries in an effort to keep them in line with other Dane County districts.
“Without that support, we would not have been able to provide competitive wages,” Steve said, noting that wages for hourly staff were below the average paid in other districts.
The goal was to offer an average wage, Steve added, noting the district has other advantages for staff, as well.
The good news from the state has been an increase in special education reimbursement.
“There was a recognition that special education costs are continuing to increase, and the reimbursement level was raised up to 45% over the current state budget,” Steve said.
The Legislature failed to put the funds into that account to fulfill the promise, but Steve seemed optimistic about the realization that more state special education funding is needed.
A partial veto by Gov. Tony Evers, though, has had a negative impact on school funding. In 2023, Evers used his veto power to increase per-pupil spending by $325 per year for the next 400 years, and the state Supreme Court has upheld that move. But Steve pointed out that the annual increase has not kept up with inflation.
“That’s what our school board struggles most with,” Steve said.
Some of the district’s investments in the new buildings have paid off not just in improved educational environments but financially. The Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2025 provides tax credits for clean energy, so the district has received reimbursements for including solar and geothermal systems.
Steve described receiving the rebate.
“We actually received an envelope from the IRS, and no one wanted to open it,” he said. “Everyone’s passing it around, and it ended up on my desk.”
Steve said it contained a check for $1 million, with no letter. It was the result of investments in the new Heritage Elementary School and the Inflation Reduction Act. The district expects to receive between $4 million and $5 million from its investment in the new Middle School currently under construction.
Another part of the state funding formula relies on student counts, and for the first time, the district has seen a drop in enrollment, with 45 fewer students than last year.
The other part of school funding is through property taxes, and the district has worked to keep those fairly stable. This fall, the school board decided to reduce the amount levied by $2.3 million, but overall, the levy increased by about 5.97%, so most property owners across the district saw an inflationary increase in school taxes, Steve said.
Survey ahead
As the school board begins considering important questions related to funding and the next steps for the high school, a community survey will help gather residents’ opinions. Steve said a large portion of the high school was built in the 1970s and “no longer meets today’s modern learning environment.”
“We would encourage everyone to give us their honest feedback on this. Let us know what you’re thinking,” Steve said.
The surveys should reach residents in early April, and if residents have questions about future planning for the district, they can contact school board members, Dr. Brown or Steve.
“It’s certainly possible that the board may elect in the fall of ‘26… to ask the community for their opinion on the operational budget again and the high school,” Steve said.
In the coming months, the school board will consider whether to hold a referendum during the gubernatorial election in November.
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Coming Up
March 5: Chamber Dinner and Auction
March 28: Easter Bunny Drive-Thru at Ripp Park
April 17: Tri-Con Convention at Kalahari
April 17: Chips & Chips Fundraiser
Also, coming up in May will be the Tri 4 Schools event.
Guests: Debbie Cullen, guest of John Cullen; Alexis Carr, guest of Kylie West; Steve Summers, speaker.
Greeters: Feb. 26, Dave May and Austin Maly; March 5, Alex Welk and Kyla Jensen; March 12, Chris Zellner and Roberta Baumann.
To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/
