Referendum: April 7, 2026

On April 7, 2026, the Howard-Suamico School District community will vote on two referendum questions. The Board of Education unanimously approved proceeding with two referendum questions on January 12, 2026.

Both the proposed $7M operational referendum and $147M facilities referendum can be completed without increasing the school district tax rate.

Community survey results show strong support for a tax rate neutral plan. The Board of Education has taken this feedback seriously and has continuously reduced the tax rate while continuing to address operational and facilities needs. The Board has reduced the tax rate for five years in a row. Today it is $7.69 per $1,000 of equalized property value compared to $9.19 in 2020.

Question 1: Operational Referendum

What Does It Mean?

The operational referendum will invest in student programs, small class sizes, and staff compensation. If Question 1 is approved, the district will be able to exceed its revenue limit by an additional $2 million per year in both the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

Once the current operating referendum expires in 2028, the district would then exceed its revenue limit by a total of $7 million for five years.
In total, the district would be exceeding its revenue limit by $7 million in each of the next 7 years.

Since 2018, community feedback has been clear: small class sizes and great teachers are top priorities. This referendum directly protects those priorities.

Operational Referendum Video (2:00)

Watch the video below to learn what an operational referendum is, about Wisconsin state funding, and why HSSD is asking the community to vote on an operational referendum.

What You'll See On the Ballot

Ballot Language

Ballot Language

Shall the Howard-Suamico School District, Brown County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $2,000,000 per year for the 2026-2027 school year and the 2027-2028 school year and by $7,000,000 per year for the 2028-2029 school year through the 2032-2033 school year for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses to maintain class sizes and educational programs, and to address staff compensation.

Question 2: Facilities Referendum

What Does It Mean?

The facilities referendum will invest in consistent K-6 schools, high school career readiness and science upgrades, and capital maintenance needs. If Question 2 is approved, the district will be authorized to borrow funds not-to-exceed $147 million to fund facilities improvements in six of our eight schools. These funds will be financed with a multi-phased borrowing plan and repaid over approximately 20 years.

Consistent K-6 Schools

Creating consistent K-6 schools by renovating and adding space, in response to our vision and our community’s expectations to have similar opportunities regardless of which school they attend.
Third party assessments show inconsistencies in classroom space, collaboration areas, and shared spaces (kitchens, cafeterias, offices, health rooms).
Several schools (Lineville, Meadowbrook, Howard, and Suamico) have undersized or outdated spaces and increasing capacity challenges.

High School Career Readiness and Science Upgrades

Community feedback prioritized capital maintenance, Career and Technology Education (CTE) expansion, and science classroom updates at Bay Port High School.
CTE spaces need modernization and added capacity to meet strong student interest in trades and hands-on career pathways.
Science labs and classrooms also need renovation to meet current learning needs and career preparation.

Capital Maintenance Needs

HSSD has prioritized high-cost maintenance improvements across the district for all buildings, except Bay View MS and Forest Glen which were renovated in 2021.
These improvements will strengthen safety and improve the overall quality of our schools.
Bay Port HS is now 25 years old and requires ongoing capital maintenance investment to remain safe, efficient, and functional.

Facilities Referendum Video (1:51)

Watch the video below to learn what a facilities referendum is and why HSSD is asking the community to vote on a facilities referendum.

What You'll See On the Ballot

Ballot Language

Ballot Language

Shall the Howard-Suamico School District, Brown County, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $147,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: construction of an addition, renovations, capital maintenance, and site improvements at Bay Port High School, including expansion of the career and technical education space, renovations to classrooms and science labs, and improvements to safety, traffic flow, and parking; construction of additions, renovations, capital maintenance, and site improvements at Howard, Meadowbrook, Suamico, and Lineville Schools; capital maintenance at Bay Harbor School; and district-wide capital maintenance and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment?

Information and Resources

Enrollment Studies and Facilities Assessment

2025 Studies

Since April 7, 2025 when the Board endorsed HSSD to proceed with a pre-referendum exploration process, three independent assessments were completed. This data was shared with the Board at the June 9 and August 11 Board meetings.

Facilities Assessment (by EUA, 2025)
Enrollment Projections (by Woolpert)
Student Potential Report (by Woolpert)

The reason HSSD engaged another independent company to complete additional enrollment projections is to have up-to-date data that is as accurate as possible during this pre-referendum exploration process.

2022 Studies

Prior to this, in 2022, an enrollment projection study and community growth study were completed by MD Roffers.

Community Growth Study (by MD Roffers, 2022)
Enrollment Projections (by MD Roffers, 2022)

Fact Sheet

Finance

Debt Savings

The HSSD Board of Education has been financial stewards of taxpayer dollars in many ways, one of which is by prepaying debt. This has saved the district $5,985,240 since 2018.

The 2021 referendum is the only debt the district is carrying. Originally $98,000,000 was issued, and as of February 2026, we will have $55,905,000 outstanding.
The 2021 referendum debt was originally scheduled to be repaid through 2041, but due to this strategic prepayment, it will now be paid off in 2038.

Click here to view the 2025-26 Budget Book. See page 36 for the debt repayment schedule for existing debt.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Operational Referendum History

2021 Operational Referendum

$5M operational renewed the 2018 referendum, addressing:

Continuing the reduction of class sizes
Continuing to support employee compensation
Addressing ongoing facilities maintenance needs district-wide

2018 Operational Referendum

The $5.85M operational referendum addressed:

Hiring teachers to reduce class sizes
Improving HSSD’s ability to compete in the teacher salary market
Addressing ongoing facilities maintenance needs district-wide

2017 Operational Referendum

The 2017 operational referendum was not approved by voters. On the ballot was a recurring operational referendum question, which means no end date was listed. HSSD learned from voters that they wanted to see an end date on the ballot, so HSSD re-engaged with the community in order to bring an operational referendum question back to voters in 2018. As a result of the failed 2017 referendum, the district had to make cuts to certified staff.

Facilities Referendum History

2021 Facilities Referendum

In 2021, the Howard-Suamico community approved $98M to renovate and improve all eight schools with significant updates at Bay View and Forest Glen

Forest Glen
- New gym addition in order to free up space within building to do other renovations - sized for stand-alone community space
- Convert gym to cafeteria, renovate kitchen
- Add natural light to Large Group and LMC spaces, transparent movable walls
- Renovate lobby and former District Office space
- Replace boilers
- Replace roof
- Replace all windows
- HVAC Improvements
  - Ionization
- ADA Compliance items
- LED lighting
Bay View
- New gym addition in order to free up space within building to do other renovations
- Convert 1963 gym to cafeteria and new kitchen
- Relocate and expand main office into portion of oversized LMC
- Move orchestra to existing kitchen, near other music areas
- Renovate classrooms - provide flexible connectivity, active lab spaces, small group spaces
- Address capacity issues through renovated classrooms
- HVAC Improvements
  - Air conditioning
  - Ionization
- ADA Compliance items
- LED lighting
Suamico
- HVAC Improvements
  - Air Conditioning
  - Ionization
- Replace pavement, curbs, and sidewalks
- Flooring replacement
- LED Lighting
- Roof replacement
- ADA compliance items
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
Meadowbrook
- HVAC Improvements
  - Air Conditioning
  - Ionization
- Flooring replacement
- LED Lighting
- Window replacement
- Roof replacement
- Ceiling replacement
- ADA compliance items
- Elevator modernization
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
Lineville
- HVAC Improvements
  - Air Conditioning
    - Ionization
- Flooring replacement
- Window replacement
- Roof replacement
- Ceiling replacement
- ADA compliance items
- Elevator modernization
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
Howard
- Restroom renovation
- Window replacement
- LED Lighting
- Roof replacement
- ADA compliance items
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
Bay Port
- HVAC Improvements
  - Ionization
- Control system
- Window replacement
- Roof replacement
- Replace and install intercom and sound system
- Restroom additions (single user)
- ADA compliance items
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
Bay Harbor
- HVAC Improvements
  - Ionization
- Additional interior and exterior improvements
- Play structure surfacing

Survey Results (October 2025)

Highlights

1,758 residents participated in the survey
- This is the highest rate of participation we've experienced in a pre-referendum survey. Thank you for participating!
60.5% indicated support for an operational referendum
- $7 million for 7 years
- Where would the money go? Maintain smaller class sizes, staff compensation, and continuing current programs and services
64.1% indicated support for a facilities referendum
- $147 million with no tax rate increase
- Support drops nearly 20% if the tax rate increases by $0.36
- Zero tax rate increase is critical for community support

View the Board Presentation from November 17, 2025.

Tax Rate Information

Tax Rate Neutral Plan

Both the proposed $7M operational referendum and $147M facilities referendum can be completed without increasing the school district tax rate.

If property values rise, some may still see an increase in their tax bill. That’s why HSSD has been intentional about lowering the school tax rate year after year - to help offset that impact and keep the cost to homeowners as manageable as possible, while still addressing operational and facilities needs.

two bar graphs comparing this year to next year

Board Decreases Tax Rate 5 Years in a Row

As shown below, the Board has reduced the tax rate for five years in a row. Today it is $7.69 per $1,000 of equalized property value compared to $9.19 in 2020. In 2020, the tax rate was $9.19 and today it is $7.69.

Learn More

To learn more about HSSD finance, visit the Finance page.

Voter Information

Register to Vote

Visit www.myvote.wis.gov for:

Voter registration
Absentee voting
Polling information
Sample ballots
Election deadlines

Early In-Person Absentee Voting

Early in-person absentee voting takes place at the village hall for each village. Please visit the website for the Village of Howard, Village of Suamico, or Town of Pittsfield for more information. Contact your municipal clerk for more information.

Howard:
- March 24-27: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- March 30-April 3: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Suamico:
- Specific dates and times are forthcoming (general rule: begins 14 days before the election)
Pittsfield:
- March 24: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
- March 26:1-5 p.m.
- March 31: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
- April 2: 1-5 p.m.

Vote Absentee by Mail

Ballots will be mailed out through the Thursday before the election. Absentee ballots must be received by the Clerk's Office by 5 p.m. on April 7, 2026.

Below are the steps to submit an absentee request:

Submit an absentee request at www.myvote.wis.gov
Click on Vote Absentee at the top of the website

Learn More About Voting and Elections

Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) website

Phone: 608-266-8005
Email: elections@wi.gov

Contact Us

Mark Smith

Superintendent

District Office

Contact Me About:

Referendum details
Financial and facilities future
Challenges HSSD is facing

Kimberly Mcdougal

Executive Assistant to the Superintendent

District Office

Contact Me About:

Meeting logistics
Process questions
Opportunities to provide feedback
Materials

Kimberly Uelmen

Executive Director of Communications

District Office

Contact Me About:

Community engagement
Communications

Have Questions?

Click here or scan/click below to ask a question or to leave a thought via ThoughtExchange. This is anonymous and regularly monitored by the district.