2026 Referendum

An operational referendum is a voter-approved increase in local property taxes to fund the day-to-day operations of a school district.  Referendums are presented as a ballot question for voters to approve/disapprove. If approved, an operational referendum gives the Board of Education authority to increase its property tax levy by a set amount each year, which provides more revenue for the district.

The District has relied on the approval of operational referendums since 2009. In November 2020, voters approved the renewal of a $500,000 6-year non-recurring operating referendum which ends June 30, 2027. In November 2022, voters approved an additional $850,000 6-year non-recurring referendum which ends June 30, 2028. When the current referendums end, the district will be faced with a $1,350,000 budget shortfall

If approved, the operational referendum contributes to:

●      Retention of high-quality staff

●      Sustained educational programming for students

●      Continued financial stability

●      Equipping students and teachers with essential academic resources

This replaces the current expiring referendums. It is not an additional $1.35 million on top of existing referendum authority. There is a $0 difference between the expiring referendums and the proposed referendum.

The proposed Ripon Area School District referendum is designed to replace two expiring operational referendums without increasing the school district tax levy beyond what taxpayers are currently paying.

If approved, the District’s tax rate is projected to remain approximately $6.36 per $1,000 of equalized property value, which is the lowest rate in District history and lower than the rates of approximately 64% of Wisconsin school districts.

While the referendum itself is not expected to increase the school district tax rate, overall school property taxes may still increase by approximately 4.0% due to facts unrelated to the referendum, including declining state aid and the state’s modest $325 per-pupil revenue limit increase. Changes in equalized property values among municipalities can shift the tax burden between communities, causing individual tax impacts to be higher or lower than the estimated 4.0%.

Understanding RASD Tax Bill (City of Ripon)

Wisconsin schools have seen per-pupil revenue limit increases that have not kept pace with inflation. The District has seen declines in state equalization funding of $261,405 in the 2025-26 school year and a further decrease of $332,170 per DPI estimates for the 2026-27 school year. Promises of additional state special education aid have not materialized. Despite this, the Ripon School Board continues to control costs, run balanced budgets, and maintain student programming. The current referendums have been critical to the operation of the school district.

• The Board has managed a balanced budget each year since the 2018-19 school year. Often, this was achieved through planned spending reductions, including creating its own virtual school and special education alternative school program, securing affordable medical insurance, seeking bids for vendor services, and combining staff positions. 
  
  
• The Board avoids short-term borrowing and interest costs used by some organizations to meet cash flow needs.
  
  
• In May 2025, the District’s S&P Global credit rating increased to AA-.
  
  
• Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, the Board has made a series of improvements to reduce its utility spending. Current electricity usage is down roughly 400,000 kWh annually compared to 2017 (the same amount used by an entire elementary school building). This is equivalent to roughly $54,000 of annual savings.
  
  
• Since 2021, the Board has paid down nearly $1.2 million of its high school building construction debt early, saving taxpayers $285,709 of interest payments.
  
  
• The Board has reserved funds for the ongoing maintenance of District buildings and grounds. So far, these funds have been used for roof, HVAC, and other equipment replacement while avoiding the need for capital referendums. 

Referendum funds will help to sustain some of the district's interventions and low class sizes. Additionally, referendum funds will help the district avoid a budget deficit and maintain a high-quality school district for the future.

If the referendum is denied by voters, RASD will balance its budget through staff and program reductions, with the potential of drawing down fund reserves. Below are potential ways the district would balance its budget:

• Increase class sizes
• Reduce academic offerings
• Limit services that support student learning
• Defer facility maintenance and repairs

Most Ripon High School students graduate with college credits earned. The District pays for college credits for high school students through the Early College Credit Program and the Start College Now program. These programs provide significant opportunities to students at reduced prices for Wisconsin school districts. Each year, the District spends roughly $80,000 on tuition for these two programs for Ripon High School students. Roughly 25% or $20,000 of these funds are reimbursed by the state the following year, making the net cost roughly $60,000 annually.