School referendum question to hit the April ballot

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WFHR / WIRI) – A school district referendum question will appear on the Wisconsin Rapids spring ballot.

The School Board approved a resolution to place a non-recurring operational referendum on the ballot at their meeting on Monday. It’ll appear on the April 7 spring ballot.

The referendum asks voters to allow the district to exceed the state revenue limit by $3.8 million per year for the next five years, until the 2030-31 school year.

“This plan stabilizes our budget for the next five years while making budget reductions, and guaranteeing we can continue offering the high-quality education our community expects,” wrote Board President John Krings in a press release.

Schools face a deficit

If approved, the funds would be used for daily operational purposes, including for technology, curriculum, and security. The district says the money would also allow it to maintain current academic and educational programs.

WRPS, like many districts across the state, faces a projected budget deficit with twinned causes — less money from the state, and rising costs.

State aid was cut by $95,604 for the 2025-26 school year, according to figures from the Department of Public Instruction. Education advocates say public school funding hasn’t kept pace with rising costs. A nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum report shows Wisconsin’s inflation-adjusted school spending has fallen behind the national average, and that of neighboring states.

The proposed $3.8 million would replace expiring funding from the previous referendum that expires this year while addressing new inflation-related challenges.

Superintendent Ronald Rasmussen says that the referendum would allow the district to protect the programs that help students succeed, while aligning operations to the current enrollment.

“We have always worked hard to spend tax dollars wisely, but the reality is that the cost of educating students, meeting the expectations of our families, and keeping our schools safe continues to rise,” wrote Rasmussen in a press release.

“This funding will allow us to maintain class sizes, retain high-quality staff, and secure the necessary tools and security updates our students need to succeed after graduation.” 

The question itself

The referendum will read as the following on your ballot:

“BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District of Wisconsin Rapids, Wood and Portage Counties, Wisconsin that the revenues included in the School District budget be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $3,800,000 per year for five years, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and ending with the 2030-2031 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of technology, curriculum and security updates, and to maintain academic and educational programs.”