(Fox 11 Online)
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Oshkosh Area School District projects a $6 million deficit for the 2026-27 school year.
That’s out of a budget of about $145 million, which was balanced this year.
The district will make cuts
Superintendent Bryan Davis: “That’s something that we’re working on internally to make sure that we can plan for next year to be able to keep our programming strong, and also to maintain our fiscal sustainability.”
What those cuts will be is still to be determined, but likely to include staff.
Why it will face this deficit, according to district:
- Projected enrollment decline
- Out-of-district enrollment to other public schools
- Private school vouchers
Could educational outcomes drop?
Davis was asked whether educational outcomes may decrease, as there’s a correlation between money spent and positive outcomes.
“We’re committed to making sure that we can not only decrease our expenses, but also increase our scores,” said Davis. “And that’s our commitment to our kids and our families. And so as we do our prioritization, our prioritization is making sure that our kids are first, and that our student learning — especially around our math and reading scores, our core academics — are preserved.”
This could become a recurring challenge
“Short-term, this will probably be an annual process,” said Davis. “Hopefully not to the extent of the $6 million, but we’re committed to making sure we’re working with our staff closely.”
The district currently has a $7.95 million annual operational referendum, which expires in 2030. Don’t expect a new operational referendum before that one expires. An operational referendum covers regular budget expenses, whereas a capital project covers a specific infrastructure project.
Timeline
- Dec. 5: District communication update on process and preliminary recommendations
- Dec. 10: Board meeting discussion
- Jan. 14: Final recommendations are formalized and submitted to the Board
Staff will be notified by mid-January and updated throughout the process, according to Davis.
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