Talking Points

 Support for AASD Schools - 2026 Referendum

  1. Stop the Cuts

    1. Appleton has already made significant cuts: closed a school, reduced building budgets, cut staff positions (incl. counselors/mental health providers), and removed health benefits

    2. Appleton is currently not receiving enough funds from the state legislature to properly educate students

    3. Appleton is running a $13million deficit and will run out of discretionary funds this year

    4. Appleton has not paid teachers and staff to keep up with inflation for the last five years

    5. An Appleton starting teaching salary ranks 130 (69th percentile) and average salary ranks 125 (71th percentile) despite being the 6th largest district in Wisconsin.

    6. One proposed referendum option will still require cuts to  special education services (non-mandated), summer learning, literacy supports, facilities maintenance & building improvements, and potentially more schools

    7. Only one proposed referendum option would increase support for students


  1. Invest More in Our Kids

    1. Appleton is spending $2000 less per student than the state average & $4000 less per student than the large district average in Wisconsin

    2. Appleton has the lowest per-student funding of the 11 largest districts in Wisconsin, including Green Bay & Oshkosh

    3. Appleton ranks 303  in per-student funding out of 420 districts in Wisconsin (2023)

    4. Appleton is down $50 million today ($3,300/student) compared to 2009  if funding kept up with inflation (this was when funding stopped being tied to inflation)

    5. The Appleton tax rate is the lowest it’s been since 1990 (less than half of what it was in 1990, 0.653% now compared in 1.549% in 1990)

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