MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has a lot riding on the Nov. 5 election.

It’s asking voters to approve two separate referendums, totaling more than $600 million. 

What You Need To Know

  • The first of two referendums on the Nov. 5 ballot is an operational referendum worth $100 million over four years to help cover increasing expenses

  • The second is a facility referendum to generate $507 million over 23 years to replace eight schools and renovate several others

  • The district estimates the financial impact to be about $27 per month over 23 years for the average Madison home valued at $457,300

  • The operational referendum is expected to cost the average homeowner about $40 more in property taxes next year, as compared to this year
 

The first is an operational referendum worth $100 million over four years to help cover increasing expenses. The second is a facility referendum to generate $507 million over 23 years, with the goal of replacing eight schools and renovating several others.

Chelsea Elliot is the principal at Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School, one of the schools included in the referendum. She said the building needs work.

The school was built more than 60 years ago.

“I think we’re at a turning point,” Elliot said. “Our schools have served our students well for a number of decades, but we’re starting to feel their age.”

Elliot said the heating and air conditioning systems need to be replaced. The school’s main entrance also needs upgrades to be more secure. In addition, many of the rooms and gathering spaces need to be able to accommodate more kids.

“This year we’re serving over 480 students and so we’ve had to be really creative about where we find and create learning environments to accommodate all those different classrooms,” Elliot said.

MMSD School Superintendent Joe Gothard said this is one of about 10 schools that would be renovated if the $507 million referendum passes on Nov. 5.

The district estimates the financial impact to be about $27 per month over the 23 years for the average Madison home valued at $457,300. The operational referendum is expected to cost the average homeowner about $40 more in property taxes next year, as compared to this year.

“Overall, it’s just going to improve the general quality of the Madison Metropolitan School District as we continue through our facilities master plan,” Gothard said.

Just four years ago, city voters passed a $350 million facility referendum to improve high school buildings. Gothard said upgrades have been put off for a while, and this is a necessary to improve facilities.

“Learning is about adapting to the needs of the day and not being fixed to the way that the physical condition of a building allows,” he said. “It just makes for a more meaningful and relevant learning experience.”

Elliot said she hopes Madisonians consider the long-term gain of having better schools.

“Anana is a great place to learn and work and I want the building to continue to reflect all of the greatness that’s happening here,” she said.

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