District overview
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
An 11-member elected Board of Education, with seats tied to areas of the district, sets policy and approves budgets. Wisconsin limits how much a district can raise each year, so a district that wants to spend more has to ask voters in a referendum. Markesan asked in April 2026 and again on November 3, 2026, and a statewide tracker lists both as failed.
The annual meeting approved a $7,935,098 levy, of which $5,979,290 is the general fund.
The treasurer reported a $21.9 million composite balance. $12.2 million is held in the capital projects fund for the 2024 facility-upgrade referendum, so it is set aside for building work rather than classrooms.
Eleven board members serve staggered terms from areas such as the City of Markesan and several towns. A vacancy was filled by board appointment in June 2026.
The board asked voters to let it exceed the state revenue limit by $700,000 a year for four years (2026-27 through 2029-30).
The collected records do not explain why spending exceeded plan in 2025-26 or what cuts the board will make after the referendum result, so this page does not say how the district will respond.
Raised from $5,496,762 on Aug. 12, 2026.
NCES count; context only, not from a collected district record.
The board receives a facilities upgrade update at nearly every meeting. The annual meeting reported $12.2 million still in the capital projects fund for the work.
2024 voter-approved referendum (capital projects fund 49)
Total project cost and schedule are not stated in the collected records.
After an April 2026 referendum failed by about 19 votes, the board approved a new four-year question on August 12 for the November 3 ballot. A statewide tracker lists it as failed.
Would have been local property taxes above the state revenue limit
$2.8 million over four years.
Wisconsin school board elections are held on the first Tuesday in April. Four of the 11 seats have terms listed as ending in 2027. Candidate list is not yet published; filing closes in early January.
Official source · verified Nov 9, 2026
Markesan School District · $700,000
Voters were asked to allow about $2.8 million in extra operating spending over four years. A statewide referendum tracker lists the question as failed on Nov. 3, 2026.
Official source · verified Nov 9, 2026
Markesan School District · $2,800,000
A non-recurring operating referendum (about $2.8 million through 2033 per a statewide tracker) failed in the April 2026 election, reported to have missed by 19 votes.
Official source · verified Nov 9, 2026
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Based on the district's posted agendas and minutes (April-November 2026) stored from the Board of Education page. Election results come from a statewide referendum list.
We read every agenda, packet, recording, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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