PdC School District considers possible referendum to assist with costs
The Prairie du Chien Public School has been discussing and exploring facility options for years. Prairie du Chien is only one of a few schools that has not gone to referendum to ask for the ability to increase the allowed revenue limit per student. Because of this, the school has been locked in at a low revenue limit level that is far below the average school. District Administrator Drew Johnson stated, “The school has made many cuts over the past years to stay within the revenue as allowed, but there are no more places to cut.”
The Prairie du Chien Public School Board received nine responses for a request for proposals for consultant services to assist with a process of collecting community input and preparation for a possible referendum in April of 2016. Potential referendum questions may include exceeding the revenue limit for additional operating dollars and facility updates. The school board will interview the companies that submitted proposals at the end of June. The school board is also in the process of forming a committee of a cross-section of community members to advise on the process.
The district switched insurance companies again this year to save some money. However, the ideas on how to cut more expenses are dwindling.
Johnson detailed that, “We have been prioritizing our resources into programming that raises student achievement and it is working; our students are doing very well. We have cut all around the edges, but have increased our academic programming and achievement levels by most efficiently utilizing our resources.” The message is that the well is running dry on expense cutting options without cutting programs.
On the school revenue side, it is the same message, as Johnson stated, “We have stretched and maximized the grants and other categorical funding options as far as we can go.” According to Johnson, Prairie du Chien Public School is a high performing school district that exceeds expectations, and to hold that level of performance, district leaders believe a revenue limit that is closer to average is needed.
Johnson explained, “We do not desire to be at the top of revenue limits in the state, but we do ask if we can get to average revenue levels. We do very well and we are an efficiently run school district, but we do need to ask for more resources.”
Revenue limits law was put in place in the early 1990s and the Prairie du Chien District has gone to this point without a referendum, while almost all area schools have passed referendums to add more revenue limit to attempt to keep up with inflation.
With the freeze of the revenue limit being proposed in Madison, coupled with the cuts sustained over the last few years, the district is being forced into asking the voters for more revenue authority. School District Bookkeeper Vicki Waller said, “Simple inflationary expenses cannot be covered with no increase in revenue; the costs to operate increase. Our revenue levels have lagged the inflationary rate and we cannot cover the costs anymore.”
Johnson added, “We are very lean, with no breathing room left. Over the years, we have looked at all possible ways to cut costs and have made many tough decisions, which often were unpopular, to stay within the allowed revenue. We have always been very understanding of the state economic situation and we have done our part to be good stewards of public money and to live within our means. However, the way this proposed state budget treats us, after past cuts, is very harsh. It is obvious that no help is coming from Madison; all I can say is that this is just the last straw.”
