Appleton Area School District Packet Summary — 08-10-2026
Meeting Overview
The packet identifies the public body as the Appleton Area School District and the meeting date as 08-10-2026. The packet materials include budget-related documents: the 2025-2026 Budget Hearing Presentation, a revised 2025-2026 Budget Hearing Presentation, and the 2025-2026 Budget Booklet.
The agenda materials include a budget presentation, public input, and adjournment. The packet also notes that the Regular Meeting of the Board would begin following the Budget Hearing at 6:45 PM or upon conclusion of the Budget Hearing, whichever occurred later.
Key Items on the Agenda
2025-2026 Proposed Budget Presentation
The packet includes a presentation covering the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget, including a summary of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, enrollment information, and the proposed budget overview.
The budget proposal states that total budgeted expenses for all funds, excluding inter-fund transfers, are $314,648,904. The proposal was prepared using information available at the time of preparation.
The agenda includes a public input opportunity. The packet identifies this item as part of the meeting agenda but does not provide comments or outcomes from the public input period.
Major Financial Items
Revenue and State Funding Changes
The proposed budget materials describe changes in education funding, including a revenue limit increase of $325 per pupil from the prior biennium. The total per pupil allowed revenue for 2025-2026 increased to $12,108.
The packet states that State Equalization Aid increased by $3,146,867 to a total of $118,030,793 for the 2025-2026 year.
Property Tax Levy and Tax Rate
The proposed budget includes a property tax levy of $82,021,571 for 2025-2026, compared with $75,849,169 for 2024-2025. The packet states that the proposed tax rate would decrease to $6.08 per $1,000 of equalized valuation.
The packet notes that the decrease in the tax rate is related to an increase in equalized property valuation, which increased by 8.43% to $13.48 billion.
Private School Voucher Funding
The budget materials identify an increase in the amount required for private school vouchers. The proposed budget states that voucher funding increased from $8,304,393 to $9,305,208.
The packet states that private school vouchers would represent $0.69 of the tax rate, or the equivalent of $69 on a $100,000 property.
Student Enrollment
The budget presentation includes 2025-2026 enrollment information showing a total student count of 14,866.
The packet states that enrollment declined by approximately 1% from the prior year while open enrollment continued to have more students entering the district than leaving. The net effect of open enrollment is identified as an additional 860 students.
Staff Profile
The proposed budget materials state that 14,866 students are served and supported by approximately 1,960 staff members, including teachers, administrators, and support staff.
The packet identifies 2025-2026 total FTEs as 1,959.60.
Fund Balance and Budget Outlook
The budget materials describe a 2024-2025 overall deficit of approximately $14.2 million in the general fund. The packet attributes this to costs including self-funded health care, increased staffing and compensation, and reading curriculum purchases.
The proposed budget materials state that the projected 2025-2026 ending balance for the General Fund is $24,425,959.90, with the fund balance representing 10.4% of expenses.
The packet states that the current fund balance goal is to maintain 20%-25%.
Capital Projects and Other Funds
The proposed budget includes continued construction costs connected to the capital referendum. The packet states that projects are expected to be completed by September 2026.
Other fund expenditure budgets listed in the packet include:
- Funds 21 & 29 Other Special Projects: $4,113,032
- Fund 39 Referendum Debt: $18,424,510
- Fund 41 & 49 Capital Projects: $25,560,000
- Fund 50 Food Service: $9,593,253
- Fund 80 Community Services: $3,344,231
What to Watch at the Meeting
The agenda schedules the Board to review the 2025-2026 budget presentation and provides an opportunity for public input. The packet identifies future budget steps as budget adoption and tax levy certification.
The packet materials focus on proposed budget information, funding changes, enrollment trends, tax levy information, and financial planning for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
