GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A projected budget deficit for the Green Bay Area Public School District that once sat at $36 million for next school year is now down to $2.2 million, according to the latest report given to the school board.
The deficit was at about $6.5 million in September, meaning it was cut by about $4.3 million over the last few months.
Angela Roble, the chief financial officer for the district, says the drop is due to $2.4 million in savings from the school board voting to close Wequiock, Tank and Keller Elementary Schools after this year.
She also credits $1.1 million in ESSER funds being used to cover summer school in 2024. There were also lower costs than projected for transportation, open enrollment, textbooks and special education.
Laura McCoy, the president of Green Bay’s Board of Education, says it should be celebrated that the projected deficit has been drastically cut without any layoffs or major program cuts.
“Even though we’re not out of the woods and the next couple of years that deficit will likely inch up again, but the fact we’ve been able to make this progress without having to do those two things is a monumental achievement.”
Roble told the school board the district is keeping an eye on deficits that are likely to pop up in future years. She specifically noted the ’26-’27 school year is the final year for a $16.5 million operational referendum.
“So, we continue to look forward to those deficits that we’re facing those years and of course we’re working to right-size through attrition.”
Meanwhile, the school board continues to weigh options of right-sizing its facilities and saving additional money with a projected enrollment decline of 12% over the next decade.
The district just released the results of a survey of 2,639 people that showed 48% of people in a weighted group “would support a $150 million referendum to build a new west side elementary school, make needed security and safety improvements, and renovate select schools to provide appropriate learning spaces, as the District projects the referendum will have little to no effect on the GBAPS mill rate (tax rate).”
Donovan Group conducted the survey in November as the school board considers putting the referendum question on ballots in April 2024.
A representative from Donovan Group noted the weighted results were to favor the results received from people who are more likely to vote.
In its survey report, Donovan Group notes there is an “opportunity to raise support but not by more than 2-3 percent.”
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