Commitment to the Future
At the August 26, 2024 meeting, the School District of North Fond du Lac unanimously approved an operational referendum question for the November 5, 2024 ballot
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Polling Locations - Nov 5th, 2024
Village NFDL - 280 Garfield St NFDL
Town of Friendship - W6931 Cty Rd N Van Dyne
Town of Eldorado - N7664 Cty Rd C Eldorado
Town of Lamartine - N5269 Schaefer Dr Oakfield
Town of FDL - W5990 Pioneer Rd FDL
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Three years ago the School District of North Fond du Lac passed a Capital Referendum and an Operational non-recurring Referendum. The Capital Referendum addressed specific physical building additions and renovations. The Operational was a non-recurring for three years at $800,000 annually. The funds from the capital referendum can not be used for operational purposes and can only be spent on the designed projects and cannot be carried over to assist with other district needs. The 2022 Operational referendum will end following the 24-25 school year. This $800,000 shortfall starting in the 25-26 school year along with inequitable and insufficient state funding formula as well as inflationary costs have created significant budget deficits
As we move forward with the proposed operational referendum, it’s important to understand how the mill-rate changes will impact our community financially. The current mill-rate is set at $8.15, and the average assessed property value is $213,000. If the referendum passes, the following table illustrates the estimated tax impact on a $213,000 property over the length of the referendum, after applying the state tax credit;
$213,000
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2024 - 25
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2025 - 26
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2026 - 27
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2027 - 28
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2028- 29
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Mill Rate
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$8.27
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$9.25
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$9.40
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$9.56
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$9.69
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Additional Taxes*
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$20
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$167
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$26
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$27
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$22
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*After State Tax Credit
Over the five years, the total increase for the average homeowner will be around $262. These funds are crucial for maintaining and improving our district’s educational programs, facilities, and overall student success. Your contribution through these taxes ensures that our community continues to thrive, providing a quality education that benefits all residents in the long term.
*School Tax Calculation Formula
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The School District of North Fond du Lac will face significant budget deficits of almost $1 million and $2.3 million in the next two school years. These deficits are caused by an inequitable and insufficient state funding formula that has not covered inflationary increases. Those costs come in the form of programs and services, transportation, energy, insurance, technology, safety, and maintenance.
State Funding should reflect an additional annual payment of $3,300 per student (over $5 million annually for the School District North Fond du Lac) vs. the $325 per student we currently receive from the state. Without changes to state school funding formulas that are beyond the school district’s control, our only available tool to receive enough funds to maintain our educational programs is to seek community support for referendums.
The lack of State support for public schools has caused over 86% of school districts in the state of Wisconsin to have gone to Operational Referendum. There are over 100 school districts who are currently being supplemented by non-recurring operating referendums. This fall, 120 out of 421 school districts are going to referendum.. The School District of North Fond du Lac passed an Operational Referendum non-recurring for three years at $800,000 annually two years ago, which will end following the 24-25 school year.
The Administration and Board would need to make significant cuts to staffing across the district and review other potential reductions to programs, services, technology and facilities if additional funds are not provided.
In the School District of NFDL we are:
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A “whole pitch” of Orioles working together to be the best versions of ourselves
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Students First
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High Performing Educators
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Continuing to Grow
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Improving School District
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Incredibly Safe Schools
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Providing Class Offerings that allow our students to remain competitive and bridge them to future career opportunities
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State of the Art Classrooms & Materials
On August 26th the School District of North Fond du Lac, supported by a unanimous vote from the Board of Education, provided an Operational Referendum Ballot question.
In Wisconsin, school districts may hold referendums to ask voters for permission to exceed state-imposed revenue limits or to fund specific projects. There are two primary types of referendums: operational and capital referendums. Here's the difference between the two:
Capital Referendum
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Operational Referendum
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- Funding building construction
- Building Renovation
- Improvement of physical structures or facilities within a school district
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- Day-to-day expenses
- Salaries and benefits
- Educational programs
- Transportation
- Utilities
- Technology
- Safety
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There are also two types of Operational Referendum, Non-Recurring and Recurring.
- A non-recurring operational referendum provides for a temporary increase in the revenue limit
- A recurring operational referendum provides for an ongoing or permanent increase in the revenue limit.
After careful deliberation, the NFDL School District is asking for a Non-Recurring Operational Referendum in the following amounts in order to meet budget deficits caused by inadequate state funding coupled with inflationary increases:
School Year
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2024-25
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2025-26
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2026-27
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2027-28
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2028-29
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Referendum Amount
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$1.1M
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$2.5M
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$2.7M
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$2.9M
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$3.2M
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Cost Savings
Over the last year and half the district has taken measures to be as fiscally responsible as possible to be responsive to rising inflation rates and state funding adjustments. This resulted in a $1.1million dollar cost savings. This has been accomplished through the attrition of staffing, changes in insurance plans, shifting transportation contracts, and creating an energy efficiency plan.
How Will The District Use the Needed Resources:
Again the district’s ask is for what is needed to maintain overall operations. This includes:
- Maintaining a wide range of academic courses, programs and services for all students in order to compete with other students after graduation in the academic and work world.
- Addressing annual and ongoing maintenance and safety for buildings
- Update curriculums to meet recent unfunded State Mandates and to continue to raise achievement scores.
- Cover rising inflationary costs including transportation, utilities, insurance, supplies and equipment
- Provide competitive wages/benefits to attract and retain highly qualified staff
Impact
As we move forward with the proposed operational referendum, it’s important to understand how the mill-rate changes will impact our community financially. The current mill-rate is set at $8.15, and the average assessed property value is $213,000. If the referendum passes, the following table illustrates the estimated tax impact on a $213,000 property over the length of the referendum, after applying the state tax credit;
$213,000
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2024 - 25
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2025 - 26
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2026 - 27
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2027 - 28
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2028- 29
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Mill Rate
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$8.27
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$9.25
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$9.40
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$9.56
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$9.69
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Additional Taxes*
|
$20
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$167
|
$26
|
$27
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$22
|
*After State Tax Credit
Over the five years, the total increase for the average homeowner will be around $262. These funds are crucial for maintaining and improving our district’s educational programs, facilities, and overall student success. Your contribution through these taxes ensures that our community continues to thrive, providing a quality education that benefits all residents in the long term.
*School Tax Calculation Formula
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Shall the School District of North Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1.1 million for the 2024-2025 school year, by $2.5 million for the 2025-2026 school year, by $2.7 million for the 2026-2027 school year, by $2.9 million for the 2027-2028 school year and by $3.2 million for the 2028-2029 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, including for continued safety, current programs and services and to operate additional space.
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