- The proposed report would analyze district boundaries, facilities, staffing, and population to recommend viable consolidations.
- Some local districts, such as Arrowhead Union High School and its feeder schools, have already started preliminary consolidation talks.
As school districts struggle with budgets that can’t keep up with inflation, inadequate state funding and declining enrollment, two state legislators have proposed action that could help.
State Rep. Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield) and state Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) introduced the billNov. 10. It seeks to study the potential for school district consolidations statewide.
The study would include looking at school district boundaries, existing school district facilities, staffing levels and salary scales, the population of school-age children in each district, as well as revenue limits and current overall spending, the bill’s text said.
The bill comes at a time when school districts statewide are increasingly turning to referendums to help meet shortfalls — whether in their operational budgets or for capital projects.