An operational referendum provides funding for the day-to-day costs of running schools.

Operational funding may support expenses such as staffing, classroom instruction, student programs, transportation, utilities, building maintenance and other ongoing services.

This is different from a capital referendum, which is generally used for construction, additions or major facility projects.

The November question does not seek funding for a new building or building addition.

Maintaining Current Class Sizes
The referendum would help the District maintain current class sizes in grades 4K-5 and 6-8.

Career and Technical Education
The funding would help maintain existing career and technical education opportunities that prepare students for technical education, college, agriculture, skilled trades and direct entry into the workforce.

Co-Curricular Experiences
The referendum would support existing co-curricular experiences that help students build skills, relationships and connections beyond the classroom.

School Building Operations
The funding would help cover the ongoing costs of operating and maintaining the District’s school buildings, including utilities, routine maintenance and other day-to-day facility expenses.

Like many Wisconsin school districts, Adams Friendship faces financial pressure caused by several factors, including:

• Declining enrollment
• Low state aid
• State revenue limits
• Rising operating costs
• Aging school buildings
• State funding that has not consistently kept pace with inflation

The District has continued reviewing its budget, reducing costs and changing how buildings and resources are used. Even with those changes, current financial projections show an ongoing gap between available revenue and the cost of maintaining existing services and opportunities.

More detailed financial information will be added to this section as it is finalized.

Before asking the community to consider additional operating revenue, the District has taken steps to reduce costs and operate more efficiently.

Those efforts include:

• Reducing approximately $600,000 from the District's operation budget through administrative consolidation and staff reductions
• Planning the consolidation of District operations from three school buildings to two 
• Relocating administrative offices into existing school buildings 
• Reviewing staffing, transportation, purchasing and department budgets
• Reusing existing space, furniture and equipment where possible
• Deferring maintenance to school buildings
• Continuing to identify operational efficiencies throughout the District

Consolidating from three school buildings to two is expected to reduce annual operating costs (approximately $1.4 Million savings in 2026-27, then approximately $2.3 million annually in following years) and avoid significant future repairs to the current middle school building (more than $9 million).

If approved, the District would receive authority to exceed the state revenue limit by $2.75 million annually for four years.

The additional revenue would help the District:

• Maintain current class sizes in grades 4K-5 and 6-8
• Maintain existing career and technical education programming
• Maintain existing co-curricular opportunities
• Support the operational costs of maintaining school buildings
• Continue implementing the District’s long-term financial and facilities plans

The District would continue reviewing its budget and looking for additional savings and efficiencies. Approval would not eliminate the need for careful financial planning.

If the referendum is not approved, Adams Friendship schools will continue serving students.

However, the District would need to identify additional reductions to address future budget gaps. Those decisions could affect staffing, class sizes, programs, co-curricular opportunities, student services or building operations.

Specific reductions should not be listed until the Board and administration have formally identified and reviewed them. Once those scenarios are available, this section should explain them clearly and factually without overstating or minimizing the impact.

Yes. Voters approved an operational referendum in 2023. The November 2026 question would provide non-recurring operating authority for four years beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

Add more detail about when the existing authority ends and whether this question replaces, renews or changes that amount once confirmed.

No. This is an operational referendum. It would support the ongoing costs of operating schools and maintaining existing programs and services. It is not a request to build a new school or addition.