District overview
Nekoosa School District
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is Nekoosa School District paid for?
The School District of Nekoosa serves Nekoosa, Rome and nearby areas in Wood, Adams and Juneau counties with Humke Elementary, Alexander Middle School, Nekoosa High School, the Central Wisconsin STEM Academy and the WISE virtual academy. Wisconsin limits how much a district can raise, and the limit follows student counts. Falling enrollment therefore means less money, while students who open-enroll in from other districts bring payments that can disappear at once. Voters approved an operating referendum in April 2026 that lets the district exceed the limit by $2 million a year for five years. A five-member elected board uses a policy-governance model and has an interim district administrator, Lynn Knight, who is also the business manager.
Property tax
The board approved a 2026-27 levy of $13,550,319 on October 21, 2026.
Enrollment
The September 2026 count was 1,142 students, down 57 from 1,199. Resident students counted for funding fell 64 to 873.
Referendum
The board called a referendum in December 2025 for $2 million a year over five years for non-recurring purposes. It passed in April 2026, and staff said it restored math and reading helpers.
Grants and borrowing
A state achievement gap grant of about $450,000 a year supports Humke Elementary. The board authorized short-term borrowing of up to $800,000 in September 2026.
None of this means the district is poorly run. Staff said the declining count was expected because births are down. This page does not show total spending or per-student spending, because the budget document was not collected.
Where the district stands
Major projects
Operating referendum, $2 million a year
approved by voters April 2026The board adopted the referendum resolutions on December 10, 2025, held listening sessions in February and March 2026, and the question passed on April 7, 2026. The district says it funds raises and math and reading interventionists.
- Board approves referendum resolutions
- Public listening sessions begin
- Election day
- Board recaps results
Funding
Property tax above the state revenue limit, for five years
Playground upgrades at Humke Elementary and Alexander Middle School
funded by grantThe Legacy Foundation gave $1.1 million. The district says this is not referendum money.
- Grant reported to the board
Funding
Legacy Foundation grant
District administrator search
in early stagesClosed sessions in late 2025 covered administrator succession. The board discussed a search on August 12, 2026 and a search firm was considered.
- Closed session on succession planning
- Search discussion
Funding
General fund; cost not stated
Recent news
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Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Built from board and workshop agendas and minutes, four 2026 meeting recordings with machine transcripts, and the 2026-27 student handbooks, covering November 2025 through October 2026.
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