The Superior Board of Education has approved the school district's budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, keeping operations balanced at $59.6 million with minimal spending growth.
The total school tax levy drops to $26.88 million, down 2.12%, or $581,242, from the prior year. The estimated tax rate falls to $6.79 per $1,000 of equalized value, down from $7.65 last year.
The district said a $2.1 million increase in state equalization aid, to $32.22 million, helped make the levy reduction possible. Operating expenses rose 0.59%, or $350,000, even as the district absorbed a $1.9 million increase in staff health insurance costs and higher state voucher costs.
Enrollment stands at 3,755 students on the third Friday count, down 130 from last year, a decline the district linked to lower birth rates seen across Wisconsin.
Chief Financial Officer David See said the budget keeps the focus on student achievement and classroom resources without negative changes to classrooms. The district also credited voters for passing its 2024 operational referendum.
