District overview
Sun Prairie Area School District
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is Sun Prairie funded and governed?
A seven-member elected Board of Education, plus student representatives from each high school, governs the district and meets on the second and fourth Mondays (usually 6 p.m. at the Hilltop campus). It appoints the superintendent, Dr. Antoine Reed since July 2026, and governs through written policies that set expectations for results and for the superintendent. Wisconsin caps what a district can collect (the revenue limit); state aid is paid first and property taxes cover the rest.
2026-27 tax levy
$99,688,186 proposed on October 26, a rate of $9.93 per $1,000 of equalized value, about $1.37 below what was projected when voters approved the November 2024 operating referendum.
Budget
The all-funds budget is about $229 million (general fund about $167 million). The district keeps a fund balance a little over 20% of spending against a policy minimum of 15%.
State aid and shifting costs
The 2025-27 state budget added nothing to the equalization aid pool, and the district now levies more than $1 million for charter and voucher schools for the first time.
Who decides
Board members serve three-year terms, elected at large each April (two seats most years, three every third year). Diana McFarland is president.
A $9.93 rate is the second lowest in 19 years and property values rose 9.18%, so the levy is not growing as fast as the headline total suggests. The documents do not give last year's levy in dollars, so the year-over-year tax change is not shown here.
Where the district stands
Up $385,454 from the figure shown at the annual meeting.
Referendum materials had projected $11.30.
Up 9.18% in a year.
Policy minimum is 15%.
The draft budget had assumed a drop of 150.
Major projects
Superintendent transition
New superintendent in placeSuperintendent Brad Saron resigned in January 2026 and the board hired a search firm; Dr. Antoine Reed leads the district for 2026-27. The board plans his first formal evaluation in January 2027.
- Board agenda lists acceptance of the superintendent's resignation
- Board work session with search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates
- Agenda plans Dr. Reed's first formal evaluation for January 2027
Funding
General fund
Contract and search costs not stated in the collected documents.
Westside Elementary roof replacement
Summer 2026 workSeven roof areas built in 1995-98 are being replaced after leaks, as part of the 10-year capital plan.
- Bid recommended to the board
- Work scheduled to begin (complete by August 21)
Funding
Long-term capital improvement fund (Fund 46)
Not more than $525,439.
AI and student device policies
Recommended June 2026A new AI policy (JFCG) and a revised student device policy (JFCK) were recommended in June to meet Wisconsin Act 42; they codify current practice and are folded into 2026-27 handbooks.
- Policies recommended for approval
Funding
Not applicable
No cost stated.
Recent news
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Explore resources →Based on 77 agenda packets from the district's Diligent Community meeting portal, 11 auto-captioned board livestream recordings and meeting minutes where posted, from November 2025 to November 2026.
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