There are two types of funding the Osceola School District could ask local voters to consider.

1. An operational referendum asks voters to approve additional funds to help pay for compensation, utilities, technology, busing, and classroom materials. Since 1998, 86% of school districts in Wisconsin have pursued this type of referendum. This is the type of referendum explored on this page.
2.  A facilities referendum allows a school district to take out a loan (issue debt) to pay for major improvements. Since 1998, nearly 90% of school districts in Wisconsin have pursued this type of referendum. This is the type of referendum explored later in the survey.

The Osceola School District faces three financial challenges:

• Funding from the state has not kept up with increasing costs for transportation, utilities,compensation/benefits, and services for students in special education. In fact, it has been 16 years since we received a per-student funding increase that kept pace with inflation.
• Over the last 10 years, enrollment has dropped by more than 23%. State funding is tied to enrollment. Therefore, the fewer students we have, the less money we receive. This is not unique to Osceola: Across Wisconsin, more than 70% of school districts have fewer students now than they did 10 years ago. While we have made reductions in response to this decline, it is not enough to allow us to sustain our student programs and services.
• In 2022, Osceola-area voters approved a referendum to provide additional funds to the District. This funding expired earlier this year. In response, the District cut $1.3 million, including reducing administration, teachers, and support staff. If the community does not support a new operational referendum, the District will need to make more cuts.

Therefore, the District is asking the community to consider a referendum that provides $1.6 million each year for 5 years to:
✓ Maintain course offerings, programs, services, and student opportunities.
✓ Provide competitive compensation to attract and retain high-quality staff.
✓ Pay for annual building maintenance to avoid expensive repairs.