Madison Schools Referendum Fact Sheet

Question 1 - Buildings Systems Replacement

The school district has a well-documented need for replacement and repair of major facility systems that are in critical need because these systems have outlived their useful life. A five-year plan to replace and repair items in critical condition shows $20 million in projects. (Note: the plan is based on an independent audit.)
Because the school district is paying off its debt, there will be available an average of $4 million per year over the next five years.
This question asks for authorization to allow the school district to keep the funds saved from debt service over the next 5 years, and to use these funds for replacement of old building systems (heat, air handling, electrical, etc.)
This $20 million would be in addition to funding for maintenance ($3.1 million) out of the general budget this year. The $3.1 million represents an additional school board commitment of $500,000 per year for each of the last four budgets. Since 1996, $7.6 million in major project work has been completed.
This need is critical despite the outstanding work of school district building services staff who care for and repair outdated systems to keep them fully functional.
The plan lists projects at every school in the district except one, Wright Middle School, built two years ago.
Examples of facility needs include:

Electrical upgrade, ceilings, lighting, fire alarm at Whitehorse/Schenk: $444,000

Air handling unit replacement at Randall $165,000

HVAC upgrade at Emerson $363,000
The funding can be used only for facility needs.
Voter approval would not increase taxes.
Passing this question would allow the district to keep the money from reduced debt service and apply it toward critical facility needs.

Question 2 -- New School

With the intense development of homes on the city's southwest side, called the Cross Country neighborhood, there will be about 600 elementary school students in that neighborhood within four or five years, causing overcrowding in area schools.
This question asks for authorization to build a new elementary school in that neighborhood. Cost of the new school and equipment to operate it is $11 million. It would open for the 2001-2002 school year.
Construction of this new elementary school would be consistent with the school district practice of having schools close to where students live.
The new school would also more readily allow the district to reach the goal recommended by the Schools of Hope project of reducing class size in early elementary years.
The new school would also assist the district in keeping smaller school enrollments, which, research shows, improves student performance.
Even though the district is projected to have declining enrollments, closing a school does not appear feasible now because the decline is spread over the 29 district elementary schools.
Nonetheless, the Board of Education will establish a plan during this school year for dealing with declining enrollment. The plan will establish criteria for school consolidations, if that becomes necessary or desirable.
Without the new school in the Cross Country neighborhood, 2,278 children in 19 schools would have to change elementary schools in the optimal boundary redistricting scenario presented to the Board of Education.
The new school would cost the average homeowner $16.60 per year for 20 years, and would generally maintain present school boundaries.

Question 3 - Operating the New School

This question asks for authorization of $340,000 per year for operating costs associated with the new elementary school.
The actual cost to taxpayers would be $534,000 due to how the state's school funding formula impacts MMSD. The actual cost to the average Madison homeowner would be $6 per year ($3.82 for operations, $2.18 due to school funding formula.)
Operating costs include staff (i.e. principal, librarian, clerk and custodians) and utilities.
If the new school is authorized but the operating costs are not authorized, the district would have to eliminate student programs and services to operate the school.
This question comes down to the choice of the voters: fund the new school's operations by either raising the revenue cap, or by cutting other district programs.

Madison Schools Referendum - November 9, 1999

Electrical upgrade, ceilings, lighting, fire alarm at Whitehorse/Schenk:	$444,000
Air handling unit replacement at Randall	$165,000
HVAC upgrade at Emerson	$363,000