Altoona School District to Propose Referendum on April Ballot

The School District of Altoona Board of Education officially authorized a $15.6 million referendum proposal at its meeting last week.

According to a press release, the referendum funding would go towards critical repair and replacement needs on the district’s main campus. The main campus houses the intermediate, middle, and high school buildings, which would receive interior and exterior repairs as well as major mechanical equipment system replacements.

School District of Altoona officials collected community input on the proposed referendum for weeks before approving it last week. The Board determined that the referendum was necessary after conducting a population study, a facility audit, a community survey, and developing a comprehensive facility improvement plan. Superintendent of the School District of Altoona Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos says the infrastructure upgrades are necessary to ensure they can fully meet the needs of their students.

“The decision to move forward with a referendum reflects our commitment to ensuring our facilities meet the needs of our students today and in the future,” she said in the press release. “We’ve spent significant time studying our facility needs, gathering feedback from our community, and identifying solutions that are both fiscally-responsible and future-focused.”

Ballot referendums, particularly operational referendums, have become a significant aspect of school funding in Wisconsin. Districts across the state have struggled with declining enrollment and increased costs, making it difficult for them to maintain their operations without additional funding from property taxpayers.

When voters fail to approve operational referendums, those districts often need to make staffing and programming cuts, consolidate schools, or come up with more creative solutions to address their budget shortfalls. The referendum proposed by the Altoona Board of Education is only for the construction project, not for operational needs. It will appear on the spring election ballot on April 7th.