WILLIAMS BAY, Wis. — Williams Bay is the only school district out of four in Walworth County where voters approved a school referendum. However, both parents and administrators believe the state education funding model needs to change.
"I don't think it should have to be our responsibility to understand these funding formulas fully just to support public education," said Williams Bay parent Stacey McDonald.
"Nobody likes going out to do presentations to try and sell your school," added Williams Bay Schools superintendent William White. "In a way, it feels like you're begging for money."
57 percent of Williams Bay voters approved the school operating referendum extension, which provides approximately $10 million for staff and programs over four school years.
The approval does not raise taxes in Williams Bay, but continues the referendum rate approved by voters in 2023.
Parents such as McDonald and Tom Keefe tried to educate the community and explain the state's funding formula through a Facebook page in support of the referendum.
"It's getting to people, talking to them, and trying to simplify what is a very complicated issue down to something they really did understand," Keefe said.
"It seems like referendums are the state's solution to filling funding gaps," McDonald said. "I think once that's communicated, communities are more willing to vote yes."
The surrounding Walworth County communities all voted no. Whitewater's and Delavan-Darien's school referendums were narrowly defeated, while the Woods School's operating referendum failed by just a single vote.
Both parents and administrators hope state legislators tweak the education funding formula so major budget decisions are not always left in the public's hands.
"I would love for some changes to the funding system so that we don't have to do these," White said.
"Politicians in the state: Sort this out so that this doesn't need to happen," Keefe said.
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