Wisconsin Voters Weigh $1.6 Billion in School Levies

Homeowners in 72 districts will decide November 3 whether to raise local school taxes.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a small wooden school bell resting on a stack of blank cream paper beside a column of gold coins, in muted earthy tones. — Homeowners in 72 Wisconsin school districts will decide on November 3 whether to approve a combined $1.6 billion in local school tax referendums. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you vote yes on your local school district's referendum this November?

Seventy-two Wisconsin school districts have referendums on the November 3, 2026 ballot, seeking a combined $1.6 billion for school operations and related needs. Thirteen of those districts are in Northeast Wisconsin, where voters will decide whether to approve additional local tax levies.

Why it matters

For Wisconsin households, these referendums determine whether local school taxes rise to cover budgets that many districts say have not kept pace with inflation. Districts argue that limited state aid has forced staff reductions and consolidations, so the outcome directly shapes local property tax bills and the level of services children receive.

Green Bay is asking for $158 million over four years, which the district says comes to more than $19,000 per student including federal funding. West De Pere seeks $4.9 million annually over five years, money it would move from its debt service budget after cutting $1.5 million from its budget.

The players

Green Bay School District

A large Northeast Wisconsin district seeking $158 million over four years after consolidating schools and cutting staff.

West De Pere School District

A Brown County district asking voters for $4.9 million annually over five years to replace money drawn from debt service.

Wisconsin Policy Forum

A nonpartisan Wisconsin research organization that tracks public finance and tracked the 61.3% spring referendum approval rate.

The details

School referendums let local voters approve tax levies above state revenue limits for a defined purpose and period. Districts that have already trimmed budgets, as Green Bay has by consolidating schools and cutting 100 full-time positions statewide, often say federal dollars cannot fill the gap because those funds are tied to specific students and purposes and cannot cover general operating costs. If voters decline, Green Bay has said it would seek another referendum in the spring election.

2024: Referendum approval rate reached 70%.
Spring 2026: 61.3% of spring referendums were approved.
November 3, 2026: Statewide school referendums appear on the ballot.

The Home Front

Statewide, the Wisconsin Policy Forum found 61.3% of spring referendums passed, below the 70% approval rate of 2024. Those figures show that school funding through local levies has become a recurring household cost decision rather than a one-time vote.

If you live in a district with a referendum on the November ballot, check the exact dollar amount, duration and annual tax impact on your property before voting. Compare the request against your district's published budget to understand what the levy would fund.

The takeaway

School referendums turn budget gaps into direct household tax decisions, so the November outcome will show whether Wisconsin voters continue supporting local funding at the spring 2026 pace. Keep your district's referendum summary and projected levy amount on file so you can compare it against future tax bills.

What happens next

Voters decide the 72 district referendums on November 3, 2026, and districts such as Green Bay have said they would return to the ballot in the spring election if they are declined.