Oshkosh Schools approve $197.8 Million referendum

OSHKOSH, WI- (WISS) – Voters will decide whether to approve a $197,800,00 referendum for the Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) after the school board gave its go-ahead at a meeting on Wednesday. The referendum would fund Phase 2 of a four-phase consolidation plan. 

Phase 2 had to be adjusted earlier this month when the school district discovered that South Park Middle School is in the flight zone of Wittman Regional Airport. Airport zoning changes in 2023 mean no expansion or new school construction can occur in that area.

“Our team is proposing (a referendum) tonight, based on our work over the last year and what we feel is best for kids and taxpayers as we’re moving forward. Knowing that over the last three weeks, we’ve had a shift in locations” said OASD Superintendent Dr. Bryan Davis. “But again, the tenets and the themes of what we’re trying to get done have not changed. Which is why we are proposing to be able to move forward with it as of tonight” 

Before the school district was aware of the zoning changes, it had purchased five residential properties adjacent to South Park to make room for the expansion. The district will now sell those lots.

“We got approval from the county and the city to be able to resell those lots as residential lots,” said Davis. “And for those people that would buy those lots to be able to put up housing.”

Why ask for a referendum now?

Davis told the school board that now is the time to ask the voters for the referendum.

“If you wait a year and not put it on the ballot this April, and you wait until April of 2026, we estimate about a 5% increase in our costs.” Davis said. “Which is about $4 million dollars would be what we estimate to be the cost to wait.”

Before the discussion about the referendum, community members addressed the school board and the community. 

Mallory Schneider Birschbach said South Park Middle School is inhospitable to students with disabilities.

“Currently,  South Park Middle School is not ADA compliant. Disabled students deserve equitable access to public education in every capacity.  Consider what a ‘No’ vote says to our disabled community,” Schneider Birschbach said. 

“Some people do not have our students’ best interests at heart and are spreading misinformation and disinformation in our community. If you’re upset about school districts having to go to referendums, then contact your state elected officials. Our students deserve better. And our state elected officials need to break the continued inequitable funding among our students across the state.” 

Phase 2 Plan Overview

• Build a new consolidated middle school at the Shapiro STEM Academy site 
• Create a pre-kindergarten center at the Perry Tipler Middle School site 
• Move the Recreation Department to the Tipler site 
• Keep alternative programs at current leased sites 

The revised plan will be less expensive than the original plan by about $800,000. Davis emphasized that if the referendum passes there would be no increase to the tax levy for the school district.

The OASD School Board voted 5 to 2 to present the referendum question to the voters. The dissenting votes were from Dr. Timothy Hess and Kelly DeWitt.

The referendum will go before the voters on the April 1, 2025, spring ballot.