Voters across the state signed off on more than $765 million worth of school referendums in the spring election, approving nearly three-fourths of asks across ballots statewide.
Still, they also rejected some $420 million in referendum requests Tuesday, according to a review of a Department of Public Instruction tally.
In all, 75 percent of all asks were approved. More than 40 requests got the go-ahead to construct new buildings, repair roofs and more, out of the 57 total questions on ballots.
During the last spring general election, voters signed off on more than $560 million in asks, or 83 percent of requests, while in spring 2017, voters approved nearly $700 million in referendums, or nearly 62 percent.
The biggest referendum question voters approved Tuesday came in Dane County’s Sun Prairie School District, which received approval to borrow $164 million for a multi-phase project to build a second high school, improve secondary schools, remove several buildings, purchase equipment and more.
Meanwhile, voters in the Neenah School District shot down a request to borrow more than $129.5 million to fund safety and security upgrades at district facilities; construct and equip a new middle school, plus implement Americans with Disabilities Act updates at district facilities, among other things.
Other top approved spending requests include:
*$125 million in bonding for DeForest School District to cover a school building and improvement project, including a new intermediate school and expansion of DeForest Area High School;
*And $91.5 million in bonding from Fond du Lac School District for a district-wide school improvement project including more safety and security, ADA updates at certain schools and more.
In addition to the Neenah School District, voters in the following districts rejected referendums yesterday: Clinton School District in Rock and Walworth counties; Freedom Area School District in Outagamie County; Kaukauna School District in Outagamie, Calumet and Brown counties; Kettle Moraine School District in Waukesha and Jefferson counties; Luck School District in Polk County; Manawa School District in Waupaca County; Mineral Point Unified School District in Iowa and Lafayette counties; New Berlin School District in Waukesha County; Osceola School District in Polk and St. Croix counties; Palmyra-Eagle Area School District in Jefferson, Walworth and Waukesha counties; Saint Francis School District in Milwaukee County; Siren School District in Burnett County; and West Bend School Joint School District in Washington County.
