This past April, Wisconsin voters considered 75 school referendum questions. Forty-six were approved; 29 were not. Those results serve as another reminder that referenda have become a reality for many school districts across our state, with more than half of Wisconsin districts now relying on voter-approved referendum dollars to support their operations.
Behind those numbers, however, is a much more personal story.
Across Wisconsin, school leaders are wrestling with incredibly difficult decisions. Costs continue to rise while funding struggles to keep pace. Districts are evaluating staffing, delaying purchases, finding efficiencies, and making thoughtful decisions about programs and services. In many cases, an operational referendum isn't about adding something new; it's about preserving opportunities students and families have come to expect. Sometimes, it’s literally about keeping the lights on.
At the same time, district leaders know they're not the only ones feeling the pressure.
Families are balancing higher grocery bills, increasing insurance costs, rising utility payments, and countless other financial realities. They, too, are making difficult decisions every day. That shared reality is what makes referendum conversations so challenging. School leaders aren't simply asking their communities to support their schools; they're asking neighbors who are navigating many of the same economic pressures.
That's why I believe we sometimes frame referendum communication the wrong way.
When the word campaign enters the conversation, it's easy to focus on timelines, mailers, websites, presentations, and Election Day. Those pieces certainly matter, but they aren't where successful referendum communication begins. In fact, by the time a district is preparing those materials, much of the important work has already happened—or more often, it hasn't. The real work is (just) building understanding.
One of the biggest challenges districts face is that school finance and the “how” of school funding isn't intuitive. Frankly, it’s downright confusing. Most community members don't spend their time learning about Wisconsin's revenue limit formula, equalization aid, declining enrollment adjustments, or recurring versus non-recurring operational referenda. Nor should we expect them to. Instead, they rely on what they know from everyday life.
If property values are increasing, it's reasonable to assume schools are receiving more funding, right? If taxes increase, it's understandable to wonder why a district still needs additional operational support - isn’t that where that additional money goes? From the outside looking in, those questions make sense.
That's why communication matters; not to persuade people, but to help them understand a system that is … complicated.
Here’s what I will keep coming back to, though. The districts that are doing it “right” are the ones that don't wait until referendum season to begin telling that story. They consistently communicate how resources support students, how decisions are made, and how district leaders work to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. They celebrate successes, but they also explain challenges with honesty and transparency.
That isn’t always easy, and that’s not to say that every conversation is met with kindness or enthusiasm from their communities. But over time, those conversations build something incredibly valuable: trust.
Trust doesn't mean every community member will agree with every decision. It doesn't guarantee the outcome of a referendum, nor should communication ever be viewed as a strategy to secure a particular vote. What trust does create is the opportunity for meaningful conversation.
When community members believe district leaders have been transparent, thoughtful, and honest over time, they're more likely to approach difficult conversations with curiosity rather than skepticism (or anger). They may still ask hard questions—and they should—but those questions begin from a foundation of understanding instead of uncertainty.
That's why summer is such an important time for district leaders.
Without the immediate demands of an election or community information meetings, there is space to think strategically. It's an opportunity to ask questions that often get overlooked when timelines become compressed.
Those questions have very little to do with campaign materials. They have everything to do with relationships.
The districts that communicate most effectively recognize that every newsletter, board recap, strategic plan update, budget presentation, and student success story contributes to a broader narrative. Collectively, those moments help communities understand not only what their schools are doing, but why those decisions matter and how they connect to the district's long-term direction.
That's why I don't think referendum communication starts when a question appears on the ballot. It starts much earlier, with a commitment to open, consistent, year-round communication that helps communities understand their schools before they're ever asked to make an important decision.
Whether your district is considering a referendum this fall, next year, or five years from now, the principle remains the same: A referendum isn't a campaign. It's a relationship. And like every strong relationship, it's built one conversation at a time.