MONROE — There will be no attempt at an operational referendum this fall for School District of Monroe taxpayers, and chances for the question to be asked next spring — the lone opportunity in 2027 — are low as well. School board members held a lengthy discussion in the latter half of their regular meeting this past Monday, Aug. 10.

“I don’t think there’s a world where we’re running a question in the fall,” board president Jim Curran said. “My instinct would be to not go to referendum, certainly not this fall, and I wouldn’t go in the spring. I think how everything played out, (people’s) reactions … I don’t think Monroe is ready to pass a referendum.”

The last attempt at an operational referendum this past spring failed and left many supporters and volunteers attempting to spread the word feeling skeptical that another try would be any different.

“Some of the comments I have gotten (from the community) is ‘what part of no don’t you understand?’” said board member Mike Davis. “I think we’re going to have to go through — unfortunately — really go through one or two extremely tough years before people are going to realize just how drastic it can get. Hopefully, with the elections coming up, things can start to turn a corner and start to look a little more positive than what they are. We can only keep our fingers crossed.”

One of the major deciding factors could be coming this November anyway. Depending on how the state elections shuffle out — between governor, state assembly and state senate — real progress could be made on how the state funds school districts.

“It’s really difficult for us to project (our budget) three to five years out not knowing what’s going to happen with the state budget, not knowing where enrollment is going to be, not knowing what’s going to happen with salaries and benefits and transportation and utilities and insurance and special ed costs and all the things many families are dealing with in their own homes,” said Superintendent Joe Monroe.

Many Democratic candidates ran in the primary on platforms of school funding reforms — an issue that has touched voters across the entire state. Nearly every school district has passed a referendum over the past five years as state funding has not kept up with inflation, a rate so bad, that each district is more than $3,300 per student behind what they should be receiving since 2010.

Monroe Business Administrator Ron Olson was less than optimistic about changing coming from the state level.

“Statewide, as you listen to districts and taxpayers talk, there’s some referendum fatigue out there. I think there’s hope by some people that at some point (school funding) will get addressed at the state level,” Olson said. “I’ll be honest … I’ve been doing this for 30 years and this formula hasn’t changed. I’m a little more pessimistic than some are on that.”

The board didn’t directly table the issue for 2027, however. The topic will be brought up again for further discussion at a future meeting.

The district has cut more than 50 positions over the past five years (34 professional staff, 16.3 support staff) as funds have been whittled down. More than $2 million has been cut from the budget over the past 24 months, and another $500,000 to $1 million might further need to be cut for the 2027-2028 school year. Monroe is the lone school in Green and Lafayette County to not pass an operating referendum in the past three years.

“That need is always going to be there, because state funding has never kept up to the cost of inflation. So, you just get further and further behind as time goes on, only exacerbated by declining enrollment,” Olson said. Enrollment decline is a national trend that is being felt hard across the entire state, with 68 of 72 counties seeing declining enrollment.

The discussion comes the same week as the district welcomed the community into its completed, brand new nearly-$100 million high school campus. In 2022, voters approved an $88 million referendum for the new building, a process more than five years in the making in order to replace a dilapidated building with structural and mold issues. Students will begin classes in the new building three weeks from now.

The hit on taxpayer rolls caused a ruckus in the area — one that led to a failed lawsuit that paused the construction for nearly a year. Other local government entities not needing voter approval are also making plans or have started on new building projects. A new Green County Jail and Sheriff’s facility worth about $86 million is underway. The county’s highway department and the City of Monroe Street Department have each been looking for a route to new facilities. The wastewater treatment plant is in need of updates, and users of the Behring Senior Center have long wished for a newer facility than the former school that last taught students more than five decades ago.

“The way it is right now with the spending in other municipalities, the school district is the only thing they (voters) can say no to, unfortunately,” board member Steve Mayer said. “I understand the school financing enough to know that everybody’s going backwards. It’s not just Monroe — it’s all the public schools in the state of Wisconsin. But until something’s changed at the legislature … if we can’t pass another referendum at some point and the funding stays as it is, we’re going to have to make some cuts that are going to be very drastic. I don’t want to scare anybody, but I mean it could be school closings.”

Mayer continued on, saying that Monroe is “too big to fail” and consolidate with another district. “Monroe is going to have a school. The quality of the school is going to kind of up to the public.”

District takes over Got Your Back app

At the opening of the meeting, Kurt Ellefson spoke during public comment thanking the board and the district for more 14 years of partnership with the Ellefson family and Jacob’s SWAG Foundation. The foundation and the school not only raised money for scholarships for local students, but took on the stigma of mental health and suicide.

“You (the district) have helped so many kids with mental health crisis, not only in our school, but in the United States. I am here to thank all of you for that. The Monroe school district, you have become a leader. Many school districts have followed your lead,” Kurt Ellefson said to the board and administration, with wife and former school board member Teri Ellefson seated directly behind him in attendance. “A thank you is not enough. We’d like to tell you how gracious and humble we are in all the employees of the school district and in the community as a whole. Over the past 14 years, you have made a difference in young people’s lives.”

The Got Your Back phone and tablet app completed its beta testing in 2020 and made its public debut shortly after. With only about 40% of Apple usage being tracked — and none from Android — more than 70,000 users have used the home-grown app, which was built and maintained by Computer Know How in Brodhead.

The Ellefson’s closed Jacob’s SWAG at the end of July, and the School District of Monroe officially took over control of the app at the board meeting. The district has about $35,000 coming from the foundation for upkeep of the app and has a potential partnership with SSM Health lined up to maintain updates as needed. The app links users in a mental health crisis with sources for help, among other functions.

“I want to thank you both for being here, and (for) all you have done for the community over the last number of years,” said Amy Timmerman, Director of Pupil Services. “I know this is really difficult, handing this over to us. I can’t tell you know how honored we are, and we will do good things — that is our pledge.”

Supt. Monroe has been a board member of Jacob’s SWAG Foundation for many years and has been connected with the family as well.

“It’s been my honor to be a part of it (and) all the work that’s been done,” Supt. Monroe said. “Teri and Kurt have done things that I think many people have thought wasn’t possible. In fact, when Teri first came to me about the app, I looked at her sideways and thought, ‘can we really do this?’ But through your vision and through your passion, you developed something that has been impactful — not only in Monroe, not only in Wisconsin, but across the country and beyond. That’s because you guys have provided such care, and that truly serves not only as a legacy for your family, but for Jake. I’m proud to have been a part of it.”

Health and Pupil Services reports

District Nurse Dana Kundert gave her annual report on student health trends for the 2025-26 school year. Despite being down to just three staff members for much of the year, she felt confident in the work her department was able to document and care given to students. Office staff and teachers assisted students as needed when a health department worker was unable to be present.

Kundert also reported that Monroe students were 95.81% in vaccination compliance, just a shade below the previous year’s mark of 95.83%, and 97.08% from 2023-2024. A total of 96 students in the district had a vaccine compliancy waiver out of the 2,096 total students this past year.

Pupil Services Director Amy Timmerman also gave her report on this past school year, including special education, behavior and absentee issues. Monroe High School Principal Jeriamy Jackson also told board members about the cutting of two Honors courses due to lack of student interest and conflicting class schedules.