Wisconsin voters approved 78% of school referendum funding requests across the state this week, raising taxes on themselves to grant schools over $3.4 billion for infrastructure and operations, including staff pay increases, program offerings and maintenance costs.
A total of 121 school districts put funding referendum questions on the ballot that combined sought more than $4.2 billion. According to the Department of Public Instruction, of the 138 referendum questions, voters approved 108.
Wisconsin Public Education Network leader Heather DuBois Bourenane said the organization was “thrilled” with the approvals. She said there were worries ahead of Election Day that voters were feeling “referendum fatigue” after about 60% of school funding requests passed in April.
