Continuing what our community already supports.
For years this community has invested in its schools, and that investment is what has kept programs, services, and staffing steady. It expires in 2027.
On November 3, 2026, residents will vote on a $7.1 million recurring operational referendum that would replace the expiring $6.5 million, adjusted for inflation. The amount reflects feedback the district received from the community survey. Most of this amount is already on your tax bill. The additional cost is the difference between the two amounts, not the full $7.1 million.
At a glance
The facts most people are looking for.
What's on the ballot
Below is the exact language voters will see, set by the resolution the School Board adopted on August 20, 2026 and filed with the Jefferson and Rock County clerks.
Shall the School District of Fort Atkinson, located in Jefferson and Rock Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $7,100,000 beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, for recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses?
What the question actually says by law
- “exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91”
- State law caps how much revenue the district may raise from state aid and property taxes combined. A referendum is the only way to go above that cap.
- “by $7,100,000”
- The amount per year, not a one-time total.
- “beginning with the 2027-2028 school year”
- The first year the authority would be used, which is why the change would first appear on taxes assessed for 2027, payable in 2028.
- “for recurring purposes”
- The authority would not expire, so it would not need to be renewed by a future vote. This is the key difference from the referendum it replaces.
- “operational and maintenance expenses”
- Day-to-day costs of running schools - staffing, programs, utilities, upkeep of buildings. Not new construction, which requires a separate referendum.
- “Jefferson and Rock Counties”
- The district crosses a county line, covering nine municipalities in all, so residents vote through the county and municipality they live in. The full list is under Where do I vote?
What it would cost you
Enter the estimated fair market value of your home as it appears on your property tax bill to see an estimate of how much more than you pay today the school-district portion would be. Most of the $7.1 million is already in your current bill. Find the explanation below the estimate.
Work out your own estimate
Find the Total Estimated Fair Market Value line on your property tax bill — not the Total Assessed Value, which is lower. Divide it by 1,000 and multiply by $0.23. That is roughly how much more per year than today the school-district portion of your bill would be. The table opposite does the arithmetic for common home values.
Three things to hold on to. This is the increase over what you pay now, not the cost of the whole $7.1 million. It covers the school-district portion only — your bill also carries county, municipal, technical college, and state credit lines this referendum does not change. And if approved, it would first appear on the tax bill mailed in mid-December 2027. Final rates depend on state-certified property valuations the district does not receive until October, so every figure here is a projection.
Based on 2026-27 property values, the most recent available. Final rates follow the valuations the state certifies each October, so this is an estimate rather than a bill.
How to read this estimate
- This is the increase over what you pay now, not the cost of the whole $7.1 million. The expiring $6.5 million is already in your current bill.
- It covers the school-district portion only. Your bill also includes county, municipal, technical college, and state credit lines that this referendum does not change.
- If approved, the change would first appear on the tax bill mailed in mid-December 2027 - taxes assessed for the 2027 calendar year, payable in 2028.
- Final rates depend on state-certified property valuations, which the district does not receive until October. Figures here are projections and are subject to change.
- The district's current levy rate is $7.88 per $1,000 of equalized (fair market) value.
Why the cost is smaller than $7.1 million suggests
You are already paying $6.5 million of this. That referendum is part of your current tax bill and expires in 2027. The new question would replace it at $7.1 million, so the only new money is the difference:
That $600,000 spread across the $2.63 billion of property value inside the district works out to $0.23 per $1,000 of fair market value, which is the figure the estimator above uses. The estimate is therefore how much more you would pay than you do today, not the cost of the full $7.1 million, most of which is already in your bill.
For anyone checking the arithmetic: the rate is $600,000 ÷ $2,625,230,015 × 1,000 = $0.23 per $1,000 of equalized (fair market) value - the $600,000 of new money spread across the total value of property in the district. Both figures come from the district’s business office.
| Fair market home value | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $35 | $2.88 |
| $200,000 | $46 | $3.83 |
| $250,000 | $58 | $4.79 |
| $300,000 | $69 | $5.75 |
| $400,000 | $92 | $7.67 |
Why now
Under state law the School Board cannot raise more revenue than its state-set limit allows. Only voters can lift that limit.
An existing referendum is expiring
Voters previously approved a $6.5 million operational referendum on a non-recurring basis, meaning it was authorized for a fixed period and expires in 2027. The $7.1 million question replaces that expiring authority, adjusted for inflation. Because the new request is recurring, it would not need to be renewed again.
A projected shortfall in 2027‑28
Without operating revenue from a referendum, the district projects a budget deficit of more than $10 million in the 2027‑28 school year. These figures are preliminary. Closing a gap of that size without additional revenue would require drastic reductions to staffing, programs, and services.
A local tax rate that has come down
For 2026‑27, the School Board lowered the levy rate by $0.44 to $7.88 per $1,000 of property value, which is a 5.3% decrease, and the district's lowest rate in more than a decade. The rate has fallen every year since 2023‑24, and is down 27.7% from $10.90 in 2014‑15.
This is happening across Wisconsin
An outdated state funding formula and limited increases in state aid have led a growing number of Wisconsin school districts to ask their communities for operating support. As of August 2026, Fort Atkinson joins 60 other districts with an operational referendum question before their voters, according to the state Department of Public Instruction’s School District Referenda Report. The Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials produced a short overview of how the state funds its schools: Snapshot of Education in Wisconsin (22 minutes).
Where the money would go
Operational referendum dollars fund day-to-day costs of running schools such as staffing, programs, transportation, utilities, and maintenance, not new construction.
- Programs and course offerings
- The district offers comprehensive programming to meet all student needs
- Core classroom instruction from pre-kindergarten through high school, including special education and support services, and career and technical pathways like agriculture, computer science, and skilled trades and much more
- Music, art, and athletics alongside advanced coursework for students ready to move faster, so families have options at every grade level
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Transportation, utilities, insurance, and services a district needs to open its doors each morning
- Heating and cooling buildings through Wisconsin winters and summers, and keeping facilities safe and functional every day
- The technology, software, and classroom supplies teachers and students rely on
- Staffing
- The people who make the district's schools work every day
- Teachers, aides, pupil services, and support staff, along with the custodians and administrators
- Recruiting and keeping good staff was a priority respondents from every group named in the recent community survey
- Upkeep of existing buildings
- Maintenance and repair of existing school buildings
- Not new construction, which requires a separate referendum and is not part of this question
This is what the referendum sustains rather than a list of additions. The request replaces revenue that is expiring, so its purpose is to keep what already exists in place.
What the district has already reduced
For several years, the district has been lowering its costs in many ways, such as freezing supply budgets, restructuring benefits, committing to a data-driven compensation system, maximizing state and federal funding for student needs, seeking competitive grants, cultivating local sponsorships, leaving vacant positions unfilled, and issuing layoffs.
| School year | Reduced |
|---|
Those reductions are already in the district's budget. Without these reductions, the referendum amount would need to be significantly higher.
Closing the rest of the gap
The referendum would provide $7.1 million against a shortfall projected at more than $10 million. The district is not asking residents to cover the whole of it, and the difference, roughly $2.9 million, is not being left unaddressed.
The district continues to match its staffing and programs to the number of students it enrolls. Closing the remainder is ongoing work rather than a single year’s cut. The district expects to keep finding savings where it can, as it has each year above, rather than to absorb $2.9 million at once.
F.A.Q.s
Select a question to read the answer. Use the box below to narrow the list.
The proposal
▸What is the question on the ballot?
This is the question as it appears on the ballot:
Shall the School District of Fort Atkinson, located in Jefferson and Rock Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $7,100,000 beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, for recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses?
You will mark either Yes or No. A plain-language breakdown of each phrase is in the What’s on the ballot section.
Link to this question▸Is the board required to levy the full $7.1 million every year?
No, the referendum allows the board to levy up to $7.1 million - the amount actually levied may vary based on changes in state funding.
Link to this question▸Why is there a referendum question on this ballot?
The operating referendum voters approved in the past was non-recurring, authorised for a set period, and it expires in 2027. The question on this ballot asks whether to continue it.
The new $7.1 million would replace the expiring $6.5 million, adjusted for inflation. It continues what the community already funds, which is why the added cost is the difference between the two amounts, about $600,000 district-wide.
Link to this question▸Will this need to be replaced again in three years?
No. This operational referendum is recurring, so it would not expire and would not require another vote to continue.
Link to this question▸Why did the board choose a recurring rather than a non-recurring referendum?
Over the past decade, the district has opted for non-recurring referenda in good faith that the state would fix the broken funding formula. Due to the continued lack of funding and the sizable financial cliff as a result, the board has opted to use a recurring referendum question in an effort to stabilize the finances of the district.
Link to this questionHow the proposal was developed
▸What did the community survey tell the district?
Before deciding what to put on the ballot, the district commissioned an independent survey of residents through School Perceptions. The results were presented to the School Board on June 15, 2026, and they shaped the proposal in two ways.
Residents identified what they value as well as what level of support they would consider. That feedback is why the proposal is built around sustaining current programs and services rather than adding new ones, at an amount adjusted for inflation.
Who responded
1,138 residents took part, roughly double the response to the district’s previous survey. Reaching the research standard of 95% confidence within ±5% required 370 responses, so the total was more than three times the minimum, bringing the margin of error to about ±3%.
Respondents also closely resembled an actual electorate. Residents aged 65 and over made up 35% of responses against 25.3% of the district’s adult population, and because that age group also turns out at higher rates on election day, the sample mirrors who actually votes. Every municipality in the district was represented.
What residents said they value
Asked where limited resources should go beyond core academics, two priorities stood out: career and technical education and life skills, or practical preparation such as budgeting and understanding how interest rates work. Recruiting and retaining high-quality staff and career and technical education were priorities shared by staff, parents, and residents without children in school alike.
On performance, about three-quarters of respondents rated the district good or great at delivering a high-quality education - its strongest score in the survey.
What residents said about the amount
Residents were asked which referendum amounts they would support. Weighted across the electorate, support for $12 million was 28%, for $10 million 37%, and for $8 million 43%. Only an amount below $8 million reached a majority, at about 51%.
The $7.1 million request sits below that threshold. It is not the amount the district could have asked for; it is the amount residents indicated they would support.
Link to this question▸How was the $7.1 million amount determined?
The community survey indicated the support of an amount less than $8 million. $7.1 million is 9.2% above the expiring $6.5 million, which is an inflation adjustment rather than an expansion. Because the $6.5 million is already being paid, the new money is $600,000.
Link to this question▸Are other school districts seeking additional funding this way?
Yes. As of August 2026, Fort Atkinson joins 60 other districts with an operational referendum question before their voters, according to the state Department of Public Instruction’s School District Referenda Report. Because of an outdated state funding formula and limited increases in state aid to schools in recent years, a growing number of Wisconsin districts have turned to their communities to address financial challenges.
For background on how Wisconsin funds its schools, the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials produced a short overview: Snapshot of Education in Wisconsin (22 minutes).
Link to this questionWhat it means for students and schools
▸What would an approved referendum mean for students?
It would allow the district to sustain current programs and course offerings, and services and staffing levels relative to enrollment.
Link to this question▸What would the money be spent on?
Operational referendum funds cover the recurring costs of running schools such as staffing, programs, transportation, utilities, and building maintenance. They are not used for new construction, which requires a separate type of referendum. Each category is described above.
Link to this question▸How has the district managed its budget alongside this request?
For several years, the district has been lowering its costs in many ways, such as freezing supply budgets, restructuring benefits, committing to a data-driven compensation system, maximizing state and federal funding for student needs, seeking competitive grants, cultivating local sponsorships, leaving vacant positions unfilled, and issuing layoffs. Across the school years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 those reductions come to $4,540,000.
Link to this question▸Would reductions be necessary if the referendum is not approved?
The district will continue to make reductions. Without support through an operational referendum, the district would need to make drastic cuts to staffing, programs, and services for students. While the numbers remain preliminary, the district is projecting a budget deficit of more than $10 million in 2027‑28.
Link to this questionWhat it costs
▸How would an approved referendum affect my property taxes?
Taxes would increase by approximately 2.9%, beginning in 2028 - or $0.23 per $1,000 of fair market value, which is the figure the estimator above uses. The estimate is therefore how much more you would pay than you do today, not the cost of the full $7.1 million, most of which is already in your bill.
This is a projection and is subject to change, particularly in October when the district is notified by the state of property valuations. To see an estimate for your own home, use the cost estimator on this page.
Link to this question▸What has the district's tax history been over the past 10 years?
For 2026‑27, the School Board lowered the levy rate by $0.44 to $7.88 per $1,000 of property value. That is a 5.3% decrease and the district's lowest rate in more than a decade.
Over the longer term the rate is down 27.7% from $10.90 in 2014‑15. It peaked at $11.07 in 2016‑17, climbed again to $10.95 by 2022‑23, and has fallen every year since. The full year-by-year history is charted in the Why now section.
Link to this question▸What are the different parts of my tax bill?
Your bill combines separate levies from four taxing jurisdictions, each of which sets its own levy:
- Jefferson County (or Rock County)
- your city or town
- the School District of Fort Atkinson is the only line this referendum affects
- Madison Area Technical College
Your bill also shows credits that reduce what you owe: the School Levy Tax Credit, the First Dollar Credit, and the Lottery & Gaming Credit. Despite the name, School Levy Tax Credit funds are not paid to the school district, rather, it is a state credit applied against your bill.
The district has published a guide walking through every line, with a labelled sample bill: How to Read Your Property Tax Statement (PDF). Bills are mailed annually in mid-December.
Link to this questionVoting
▸When is election day?
Residents will vote on the operational referendum question during the fall general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Link to this question▸Where do I vote?
District residents may vote at their regular polling location on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. You can look up your polling place, check your registration, and preview your ballot at myvote.wi.gov.
The district covers nine municipalities across Jefferson and Rock Counties, so you vote through the one you live in:
- City of Fort Atkinson
- Town of Cold Spring
- Town of Hebron
- Town of Jefferson
- Town of Koshkonong
- Town of Lima
- Town of Oakland
- Town of Palmyra
- Town of Sumner
▸Can I vote early?
Yes, in two ways. Registered Wisconsin voters may vote early by mail by requesting an absentee ballot at myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Vote-Absentee-By-Mail.
Residents may also vote in person before election day. Details on that option are at myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Vote-Absentee-In-Person.
Link to this question▸How do I register to vote or update my address?
Registration, address changes, and voter ID requirements are all handled through the state at myvote.wi.gov. Wisconsin also allows registration at your polling place on election day with proof of residence.
Link to this questionHow to vote
All registration, polling place, and absentee information for Wisconsin voters is available at myvote.wi.gov.
On election day
Vote at your regular polling location on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Look up your polling place at myvote.wi.gov.
Early by mail
Registered voters may request an absentee ballot at Vote Absentee By Mail. Request early to allow time for delivery both ways.
Early in person
In-person absentee voting is available before election day. Dates and locations are set by your municipal clerk. See Vote Absentee In Person.