Green Bay Area Public School District building. (IMAGE: Courtesy of Fox 11 WLUK)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Green Bay Area Public School District is already thinking about going to referendum.
This comes as officials say the new biennial state budget does not address the district’s financial needs.
On Monday night, the GBAPS Board of Education discussed preliminary budget plans and impacts over the next two years. They say no new state aid in the budget means additional funding will fall on taxpayers through referendums.
“Property taxes are going to go up. I don’t like that. I pay property taxes. That means housing costs are going up,” GBAPS District Clerk Jeanette Knill said.
The federal government is withholding billions of dollars in funding for K-12 education, meaning $3.4 million in funding for Green Bay schools is currently frozen.
The GBAPS school board says budget cuts are now imminent as the district tries to stretch the money it does have.
“Our taxpayer money is going to schools that we have no control over. Some don’t have elected school boards, but that’s the burden our local taxpayers are going to bare,” GBAPS trustee Laura McCoy said.
In being proactive, the district has already closed or consolidated three schools, reduced staff and reduced department budgets. However, it wasn’t enough.
$325 per pupil aid normally funded by the state will now have to tap into local property owners. As a result, GBAPS said the district will be required to increase its levy. They’re worried this puts students in jeopardy of receiving the best education possible.
“Please talk to your representatives, talk to your senator. I’m doing it, and I know a lot of you at this table are doing it. We need to make a difference here,” Knill said.
While the district is missing out on state funding in some aspects, the new budget increases special education reimbursements to 42% for the 2025-26 school year and to 45% in the 2026-27 school year.
Still, they said this increase does not come close to fully addressing their needs.
“It’s really hard to look at this chart and not get really angry and frustrated. I find it outrageous,” McCoy said.
A final budget will be brought forward to the school board by Oct. 13. The district expects to go to referendum in November 2026.
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