OPERATIONAL REFERENDUM: NOVEMBER 3, 2026

On November 3, voters will consider whether to authorize Siren School District to exceed its state-imposed revenue limit by $750,000 per year for four years for operational expenses. The funding would support current educational and elective programming, facilities operations and maintenance, and other day-to-day district needs.This revenue limit authority would begin in the 2027-28 school year and sunset at the end of the 2030-31 school year. Voters would then need to approve a replacement referendum for this funding to continue.

Wisconsin school districts operate under state-imposed revenue limits that affect the funding available for day-to-day operations. In recent years, Siren Schools has faced ongoing financial pressure from declining enrollment, lower state aid, and rising costs.The district has reduced spending, but it has also needed to use fund balance to address the gap between available revenue and operating expenses. The proposed referendum would provide additional support to help the district continue serving students and planning responsibly for the future.

Wisconsin’s school funding system affects both the revenue Siren School District may raise for operations and the amount of state aid the district receives.State equalization aid is based on several factors, including student enrollment, district property values, and district spending. In general, districts with higher property values relative to the state average receive less equalization aid. At the same time, Wisconsin’s revenue-limit system restricts the amount of local revenue districts may raise for day-to-day operations.For the Siren School District, changes in enrollment, state aid, and operating costs all affect the resources available to support students. Even when costs for staffing, transportation, utilities, maintenance, and student services increase, the district cannot automatically raise additional operational revenue. An operational referendum is the voter-approved mechanism that allows a district to exceed its revenue limit and generate additional local funding for school operations.

An approved referendum would have an estimated property tax impact of 31 cents per $1,000 of fair market property value. For a home with a fair market value of $200,000, this would amount to a property tax increase estimate of about $62 per year (or $5.17 per month).

The estimated tax impact of the referendum is based on the amount of additional revenue the district is requesting, the total fair market value of taxable property within the district, and the value of an individual property.For the proposed operational referendum, the district is seeking $750,000 per year in additional revenue authority. Baird, the district’s financial advisor, estimates the tax rate needed to generate that amount across the district’s tax base. That rate is then applied to a property’s fair market value to estimate the annual impact for that property.For example, if the estimated impact is $0.31 per $1,000 of fair market value, the estimated annual impact for a home valued at $200,000 would be $62.These figures are estimates. The final impact may vary based on changes in property values, state aid, and the district’s final annual budget and tax levy. The referendum would affect only the school district’s portion of a resident’s property tax bill.

Yes. Nearly 90% of Wisconsin school districts have attempted operational referendums. Over the past decade, more than half of Wisconsin's school districts have received voter approval through successful operational referendums to exceed their revenue limits.

The district has made significant reductions while working to preserve student opportunities. In 2025, Siren Schools reduced spending by approximately $874,864 through changes to salaries, benefits, services, and supplies.These reductions included:Seven full-time equivalent staff reductionsFive salary reductionsLower benefit costsCuts to maintenance, technology, professional development, travel, legal expenses, and other areasThe district has also made program and staffing adjustments, including maintaining one teacher per elementary grade level in 4K-5th grade, restructuring 6th grade as a self-contained program within the middle school, and reducing music, band, and choir staffing to one K-12 teaching position.

The Siren School District is able to meet its current financial obligations, but its financial position requires close monitoring and proactive planning.The district faces continuing pressure from rising costs, limited revenue growth, changes in enrollment, and state aid that may fluctuate from year to year. The district has already reduced expenses and used fund balance to help address gaps between available revenue and operating costs. The proposed referendum is intended to provide a more stable source of operational funding while the district continues to manage costs responsibly.

The district’s $2 million State Trust Fund loan was used to pay off short-term borrowing. It did not fund new programs, projects, or facility improvements.The loan allowed the district to replace short-term debt with a longer-term, lower-interest repayment structure, helping improve cash flow and financial stability. The district will continue to make payments on the loan as part of its operating budget while also reducing expenses and planning for long-term financial stability.

In April 2026, a proposed operational referendum for $1.8 million in increased revenue limit authority was not approved by voters.Since then, the district has carefully reviewed its budget and made substantial reductions to lower expenses. These reductions have helped reduce the amount of additional revenue needed, but they have also required difficult decisions that affect programs, staffing, and services. Those steps have included:Reducing classroom staffing from two teachers to one at each grade levelReplacing several veteran teachers who left the district with teachers at lower salary levelsHaving fewer staff members enroll in district health benefits this yearReducing the number of administrators from five to threeThe referendum on the ballot this November asks voters to authorize the district to exceed its state-imposed revenue limit by $750,000 per year for four years. This reduced amount reflects an effort to balance the district’s operational needs with sensitivity to the property tax impact on community members.

Fund balance is a financial-management tool that helps a school district manage cash flow, respond to unexpected expenses, and stabilize its budget over time. It is not simply a savings account or the same as cash on hand. It can include amounts such as taxes and other revenue that have been levied or earned but not yet received.In recent years, the Siren School District has used fund balance to help address operating needs and budget gaps. While this helped the district continue serving students, it also reduced the amount of fund balance available for future needs. The district’s goal is to responsibly rebuild fund balance over time as part of its long-term financial plan.

If approved, the additional revenue authority would be used for regular operational expenses, including:Maintaining educational and elective programming, including art and high school course offeringsSupporting student services, such as school psychology, mental health programming, academic intervention, and counselingOperating and maintaining district facilities, including necessary and preventative maintenancePreserving essential staffing and services that support students and familiesThe referendum is intended to support day-to-day operations and maintenance, not major construction projects or large-scale facility improvements.

No. The proposed referendum is non-recurring. If approved, it would provide $750,000 per year for four years, through the 2030-31 school year. It would then expire unless voters approve additional revenue authority in the future.

The Siren School District currently has approximately $6.51 million in outstanding debt across four separate obligations. These debts support voter-approved facility projects, a playground project, and the refinancing of prior short-term borrowing.The district’s referendum debt totals approximately $4.11 million and includes:Approximately $3.22 million remaining in 2019 refunding bonds for facilities renovations at the middle school, high school, and district facilities. These bonds are scheduled to be paid through 2039.Approximately $894,000 remaining on a 2025 promissory note for roof and boiler replacement, as well as related capital maintenance and building infrastructure improvements. This includes a final balloon payment in 2030.The district’s non-referendum debt totals approximately $2.40 million and includes:Approximately $401,000 remaining on the playground loan, which is scheduled to be paid through 2034.A $2 million State Trust Fund loan, scheduled to be paid through 2035. This loan was used to replace short-term borrowing with a longer-term repayment structure.The proposed operational referendum on the ballot this November is separate from these debt obligations. If approved, it would provide funding for day-to-day school operations, such as student programming, staffing, services, and facility operations and maintenance. It would not be used to make payments on the district’s existing debt.

Without additional revenue authority, the district would need to consider further reductions to align expenses with available funding. The district is projecting a $500,000 deficit in the first year, with increasing deficits in each year beyond that, if the referendum is not approved.Potential reductions could affect elementary physical education, core subject staffing in grades 7-12, student support services, administration, athletic programming, and electives like art, technology education, and family and consumer education.Additional reductions could also affect school psychology, academic intervention, school counseling, and the Native American home-school coordinator position. The district would also need to evaluate longer-term options to maintain financial stability, including potential reorganization or consolidation discussions.

Without additional financial support, the district may need to explore all available long-term options to maintain educational opportunities for students and manage its financial responsibilities. One potential option could include reorganization, consolidation, or dissolution.No decision has been made to pursue any of these options. A district dissolution or reorganization would not occur automatically if the referendum is not approved. It would require formal Board of Education action and review through a state-established process. Depending on the circumstances, the process could include an advisory referendum and review by the School District Boundary Appeal Board.The operational referendum would provide additional local revenue authority to help Siren Schools continue serving students and plan for its future. Wisconsin DPI outlines the formal school-district reorganization process on this webpage.

Election day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. More information is available at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us.

District residents can find their polling location for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, by searching with their home address at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place.

Yes, voters may request an absentee ballot for any reason. However, you must be registered to vote before you can request an absentee ballot. If you are registered, you can request an absentee ballot by visiting https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee. Note that you must provide a photo ID with your absentee ballot request.

Eligible voters can register up to election day, and can register at the polls.The deadline to register by mail or online is October 14, 2026. If you miss this deadline, you can register in person at your municipal clerk’s office until 5:00 p.m. on October 30, 2026, or at your polling place on election day.To learn more about registering to vote, visit https://myvote.wi.gov/register-To-Vote.

Voters will see the following question on their ballots on Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Shall the School District of Siren, Burnett County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $750,000.00 per year for four years beginning with the 2027-2028 school year and ending with the 2030-2031 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expense, including to maintain educational and elective programming at Siren Schools?