Shell Lake School District Prepares to Propose Referendum Again

The Shell Lake School District will place another operational referendum on the April ballot after a narrow failure in the November election.

The operational referendum on the November ballot sought four years of increased funding to address budget constraints. It was narrowly voted down by about 50 votes out of over 2,000.

Earlier this month, the School Board approved a second attempt at the referendum on the April ballot. According to a Spooner Advocate report, board members believe many residents simply did not have enough information on the referendum in November or may have been more focused on the presidential race.

Superintendent Todd Felhofer says he’s now working to develop materials to inform the public before the April election. According to him, the Shell Lake School District has been very fiscally conservative and ranks nearly last in per-pupil revenue limit. The School Board is also considering alternative budget solutions like switching from trimesters to semesters and reaching out to local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and City Council.

Operational referendums have become an increasingly popular tool for school districts looking to address budget shortfalls. Over 25% of the districts across the state had a referendum on the November ballot. School officials have cited issues like inflation, decreasing enrollment and the expiration of Covid-19 pandemic aid as contributing to the growing budget constraints. Many of the referendums simply seek to maintain the current services schools offer.

Other districts like the School District of Ashland are also reworking their November referendum questions for the April ballot following narrow failures.