On November 5, voters in Wisconsin will face a significant number of school referendum questions, with 137 total across local school districts statewide. Of these, 57 will propose temporary increases in district taxing limits, while 22 aim for permanent increases, according to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Among the most notable are two referendums seeking a combined $600 million in additional funding for Madison schools, and a $124.4 million proposal in Wauwatosa.

These referendums are a direct result of a 1993 state law that imposed revenue limits on school districts. Since its enactment, 356 of Wisconsin’s 434 school districts have put forward over 1,500 referendum questions, with an approval rate of 58%, as reported by Forward Analytics. 

In the spring of 2024, voters approved 62 of 103 school referendum questions in Wisconsin, a 60.2% approval rate. While still a majority, this is the lowest approval rate in a midterm or presidential election year since 2010, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Approved measures in the spring allowed for up to $534.2 million in new borrowing and permanent budget increases totaling $293.3 million, as reported by The Center Square.

Since 2014, voters have approved a combined total of 881 school referendums across the state, despite a cap on the revenue each district can receive from state aid and property taxes. As enrollment numbers decline in some districts, referendums have become a more frequent tool to secure funding.