What are the River Valley School District’s needs?
The school district faces significant financial challenges, despite being a good steward of taxpayer funds. Put simply, the district must have more revenue if it is to maintain our strong academic programming, our wide array of elective programs, and class sizes that support student learning.
Why does the district have these needs?
Declining enrollment has led to a situation in which the school district has experienced a significantly decreased revenue limit, which is the amount of money it may receive from state funds and local property taxes. This loss in funding has outpaced any reduced costs that come from serving fewer students. The district is facing financial challenges despite the fact that it has been a responsible steward of taxpayer funds in the past.
What impact would a referendum have on my property taxes?
The total estimated net tax impact is projected to total $186 per every $100,000 of assessed property value, stretched out over the course of those three years. The referendum would generate a total of $6,550,000 over the next three years.
How common is an operational referendum?
Increasingly, Wisconsin school districts have turned to operational referenda to help address their financial challenges. This is especially true of districts managing the challenges of declining enrollment. In 2017 and 2018, 115 school districts in Wisconsin held an operational referendum.
Since 2015, districts in our area that have passed operational referenda include:
- Richland Center
- Wisconsin Heights
- Riverdale
- Prairie du Chien
- Weston
- Benton
- Boscobel
- Pecatonica
- Mineral Point
- Lodi
- Cassville
- Cuba City
- Darlington
- Fennimore
- Highland
- Iowa-Grant
- Middleton-Cross Plains
- Potosi
- Shullsburg
In the past 25 years, 81% of school districts in Wisconsin have passed operational referendums.
The district has recently consolidated schools. Didn’t that save a lot of money?
Although the district has closed two schools in recent years, these measures have provided savings, but the district's long-term financial challenges continue. The state imposed revenue
Along with closing two elementary schools, the district has also reduced the following staff:
2017-2018
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4 regular education elementary teachers
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1 special education teacher
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2 instructional assistants
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1 foodservice employee
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1 hourly non-exempt position
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0.5 administrative position
2018-19
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3 regular education elementary teachers
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1 special education teacher
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4 instructional assistants
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1 foodservice employee
-
1 hourly non-exempt position
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