District overview
River Falls School District
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is River Falls School District paid for?
The School District of River Falls serves the city of River Falls and nearby areas of Pierce and St. Croix counties. Wisconsin limits how much a district can raise, and the limit follows student counts and a per-student amount set in the state budget. When the state does not add aid for that per-student increase, local property taxes cover it. Voters approved an operating referendum in 2024 that raises the limit by $1 million in each of 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 (a permanent $3 million), and a capital referendum for building projects. A seven-member board hires the superintendent.
Property tax
Electors set the 2026-27 levy at $28,713,747 on September 28, 2026, with the board adopting the original budget and levy on October 26. Staff said the levy rises by over $2.2 million.
State aid
General state aid is estimated at just over $21 million, a decrease from last year.
Referendums
2026-27 is the last year of the three-step operating referendum. The district says another referendum is not in its current plans.
Enrollment
Estimated at 3,316 for 2026-27, about 1.5% lower, with flat or declining counts expected for five years.
None of this means the district is poorly run: staff told the board the budget is balanced and the district is not in a dire situation. This page is built from meeting recordings and does not show total spending or per-student spending.
Where the district stands
Major projects
Capital referendum building projects
mostly complete; remaining funds being usedStaff said the referendum projects, including the high school multi-purpose addition and a new transportation center, finished on time and within budget. In July 2026 the board approved a pedestrian safety and parking lot project paid from remaining referendum funds.
- Staff review leftover project list
- Board approves pedestrian safety and parking lot bids
Funding
Capital referendum funds (amount not stated in the collected recordings)
Student device policy under Act 42
first reading April 2026A new personal communication devices policy (to become Neola 5136) was given a first reading on April 20, 2026.
- Board hears legislation update
- First reading
Funding
No cost stated
New strategic plan
in developmentThe 2022-27 plan is in its last year. In August 2026 the board approved a consultant to facilitate an updated plan.
- Consultant approved
Funding
General fund; amount not stated
Recent news
View the news feed →Resources
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Built from machine-generated YouTube captions of 17 board meetings (October 2025 to November 2026) from the district's channel, plus the district's device policy. The district publishes agendas and minutes on a BoardBook site that was not collected.
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