Community survey shows support for increase funding

According to results from a recent community survey, residents of the school district are willing to provide additional funding to the school district. That's good news as the district looks to place a referendum on the ballot this November to replace an expiring operating levy.

School board members received the results of a recent random-sample scientific survey of district residents conducted by BakerTilly. View the school board presentation. The survey tested support for various funding options related to a possible referendum in November 2021, including:

• renewal of existing operating levy
• increase in the district’s operating levy
• additional funding for instructional technology
• additional funding to address high priority facility projects 

The survey also tested reactions to a range of potential tax increases, as well as gauging  community opinions about the district in general in terms of quality, finances, priorities, and communications.

Overall, the survey found initial support at 68% for renewal of an operating levy, as well as 63.6% support for additional funding for instructional technology and 55.6% support for high priority facility projects. 

While initial support for an increase to an operating levy was just 36.9%, that rose to 56.1% when additional information on how new funds might be invested was shared. Providing academic support to struggling students, expanding the career pathways program at the high school, and upgrading computing devices for staff and students were the items respondents were most willing to support with new funds.

The school board will hold another work session in the coming weeks to dig deeper into the survey results and consider what requests to include on a fall referendum.

Learn more about the 2021 Referendum.