Board approves budget, sets lower mil rate
By Steve Van Kooten
The Prairie du Chien Board of Education approved a proposed budget from the school's administration at a special meeting on Oct. 27.
The school will levy $5.2 million, which is the same amount as the previous two years. The mil rate is 5.33, a decrease of .61 from the previous year.
The district's mil rate is a figure tracking how much money a taxpayer pays to the district in their property taxes and is tracked per $1,000 of property value. The amount given to the school district has decreased from 6.11 to the above rate over the past two years.
"The reason for the drop in the mil rate while keeping the school levy the exact same amount is the valuation of properties within the school district," said District Bookkeeper Vicki Waller.
She noted there are six municipalities in the school district.
Property values in the district have increased over the past two years from $850.5 million in 2023–24 to nearly $975 million in 2025–26.
"There may be some property owners that see an increase in their taxes while others will see a decrease just based on any housing market changes that have happened in those municipalities," said Waller.
The budget includes a slight decrease in the school's general fund balance from approximately $2.4 million to $2.2 million during the year.
The district's total general fund revenues for 2025-26 are estimated to be $14.2 million.
The budget presented at the meeting was different than the one printed in the newspaper earlier in the month because of financial information the district receives on Oct. 15 each year. According to Waller, the numbers before Oct. 15 involve some guesswork that is adjusted before the budget's approval.
Budget cuts
During a review of the district's projected expenditures and expenses, the effect of the budget cuts implemented earlier this year became apparent.
The district's general fund expenses are expected to be approximately $14.3 million, down from $16.1 two years previous.
Cuts included $430,000 from the school's undifferentiated curriculum expenses.
"The majority of that is some elementary teacher cuts. We've cut 11 teacher positions from last year to this year," said Waller.
Other budget cuts, including further staff cuts in the middle and high school and a reduced budget for the athletics department, shrunk the district's curriculum expenses from $6.6 million in 2024–25 to $5.7 million.
Staff and administration wages were also frozen for the 2025–26 school year.
"We all hear, 'Did we make the cuts the community asked for?' Without the referendum passing, there were 11 teachers [that] were reduced," said District Administrator Andy Banasik.
The only year-to-year increase in the curriculum expenses is due to hiring a replacement physical education teacher, amounting to approximately $11,000 more than the previous staff member. According to Waller, the increase is due to the teacher's experience and credentials.
The district also reduced administration costs by having Banasik take on the duties of the high school principal position rather than hiring someone to replace Doug Morris.
Other increases in expenses included more nursing services to accommodate IEP students, equipment replacements and expenses with the district's bus service, among others.
Detailed copies of the district's budget are available at the high school building at 800 East Crawford Street in Prairie du Chien.
Resolutions
The board approved three resolutions as part of the annual budget hearing, unanimously voting to authorize the reimbursement of school board members' expenses and setting the board members' salaries at $600 for the year and $900 for the board president.
The board and community also authorized the school district's sale of property regarding two houses previously used for alternative education programs. The two properties are colloquially known as the blue and white houses.
Waller said the district has put out an RFP for realtors to sell two of the residential houses. The budget doesn't include revenue from selling the properties because it’s unknown when the sales will take place.
The board and community also approved the school district pursuing a possible start date exemption for the 2026–27 school year.
"We have a calendar out there that has a Sept. 1 start date, but because of bus transportation costs and not matching calendars with Prairie Catholic School, there's a transportation exemption with [the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction] that will allow us to start school earlier. We want to have that flexibility just in case," said Banasik. He added that the district incurs approximately $7,000 in additional transportation costs due to the discrepancy in the schools' calendars.
Banasik said that the motion would only allow the district to explore whether the exemption is a possibility. The approval does not guarantee the district will start school before Sept. 1.
Approving an earlier start date will be a board-exclusive vote if DPI gives PdC the green light.
In attendance were board members Nick Gilberts, Lonnie Achenbach, Kyle Maahs, Michael Higgins, Jr., Dustin Brewer and Noah White. Lacie Anthony was absent. Banasik and Waller were also present.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15.
