Iola-Scandinavia School District
Operational Referendum | November 3, 2026
Investing In Our Schools
The Iola-Scandinavia School District has proudly educated generations of students and served as a source of immense pride in our community. In the most recent state report card, our schools were recognized for “exceeding expectations.”
However, like many school districts throughout Wisconsin, we face financial challenges resulting from an inadequate state education funding system, a lack of state aid to public schools in recent years, and rising expenses.
All Wisconsin school districts operate under a state-imposed revenue limit that restricts the amount of money each can receive through state aid and local property taxes. These limits are affected by factors beyond our control, such as declining enrollment and inflation.
In fact, had state aid kept pace with inflation since 2009, districts like I-S would have received about $3,500 more per student annually, which could have been spent on day-to-day expenses. This would amount to an additional $2 million in the 2025-26 school year alone.
Our Proposal
On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, our community will vote on a non-recurring operational referendum question for the Iola-Scandinavia School District. If it’s approved by voters, our district will be able to exceed its revenue limit for the next four years.
Under the proposal, we would exceed the limit by $1.2 million during the 2026-27 school year, and then by $1.5 million annually through 2029-30.
An approved referendum would result in an estimated average annual school district property tax increase of $25 per $100,000 of property value. This would equate to an average increase of approximately $62.50 per year above the current tax rate for a property valued at $250,000.
Operational referendums are not new to I-S. Our district has relied on this funding tool for nearly a decade since it was first approved by voters in 2016 and renewed in 2020. The most recent referendum our district held ended at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year.
The Board of Education and administration have been fiscally responsible and taken steps to reduce spending, but we continue to face growing deficits. An operational referendum is the only option to prevent significant financial cuts that would impact programming and student opportunities.
Many great things are happening in our schools thanks to our outstanding staff, students, and community. If the measure on the November ballot is not approved, the board will be forced to consider eliminating more programs and services for students, reducing staff, limiting or eliminating some extracurricular activities, and delaying maintenance projects.
Wisconsin School Funding in the News
