Here are the types of school referendums and when they've succeeded in Wisconsin

School districts throughout the years have had referendums pass and fail, in hopes to raise local taxes to fund facility projects and operating expenses. The size of those referendums has also varied throughout the years.

Here are things to know about referendums, including referendums that passed and failed in 2023, and previous record-breaking referendums, according to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction's database, which appears to dates back to 1990.

More: If it seems Wisconsin school districts are asking voters for money more often, it's because they are

What are the different types of referendums?

School districts can pass two different types of referendums.

Operational referendums allow school districts to exceed their state-imposed revenue limits, which cap what districts can collect in revenue through general aid and property taxes. These referendums can be nonrecurring, meaning the funding lasts for a specified period of time, or recurring, meaning the funding lasts for an unlimited amount of time.

Capital referendums allow districts to borrow money for construction, renovation or other building projects.

How many referendums were passed in Wisconsin in 2023?

Voters approved 46 referendums in April 2023, according to the DPI's referendum database. Out of the 46 referendums passed, 22 of them were nonrecurring operational referendums, six were recurring operational referendums and 18 were to issue debt, also known as capital referendums.

How many referendums were rejected in Wisconsin in 2023?

37 referendums were rejected in April 2023, the DPI's referendum database shows. Out of the 37 rejected referendums, 22 of them were nonrecurring operational referendums, four were recurring operational referendums and 11 were debt, or capital, referendums.

What was the largest referendum approved in Wisconsin in 2023?

The largest referendum in April 2023 was passed by voters in the Manitowoc School District. The $61.7 million nonrecurring operational referendum allows the district to exceed its revenue limit over the next five years: by $5.2 million in the 2023-24 school year; $11 million in the 2024-25 school year; $13 million in the 2025-26 school year; $15 million in the 2026-27 school year and $17.5 million in the 2027-28 school year.

The La Crosse School District had the second largest referendum passed in 2023, when voters approved a $60 million nonrecurring operational referendum to exceed its revenue limit for the next six years: by $6.25 million in the 2023-24 school year and by $10.75 million each of the next five years.

What was the largest capital referendum ever approved in Wisconsin?

The largest capital referendum approved by voters, according to the DPI database, was a $317 million referendum by Madison Metropolitan School District voters in November 2020. The funds were approved for renovations and additions to its four high schools, the construction of a new elementary school, and consolidating Capital High School from two locations into one location. Voters also approved $33 million on a recurring basis for operational and maintenance expenses that phased in for four years. The total between the two was $350 million.

What was the largest capital referendum ever rejected in Wisconsin?

Milwaukee Public Schools' voters rejected a proposed $366 million referendum in Feb. 1993, according to the DPI's referendum database.

What was the smallest capital referendum ever approved in Wisconsin?

A $43,000 referendum was approved by Benton School District voters in April 2021 for building improvements and repairs, according to the DPI's database. The district, one of the smallest in Wisconsin with 224 students as of the 2022-23 school year, is in Lafayette County in southwestern Wisconsin.

What was the smallest capital referendum ever approved in Wisconsin?

Hustisford School District voters rejected a proposed $36,000 referendum in April 1998 for athletic field lights, bleachers and scoreboard, according to the DPI's referendum database.

What were the largest operational referendums ever approved in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin's largest operational referendum, which was a nonrecurring referendum, was an over $1 billion referendum narrowly approved by Racine Unified School District voters in April 2020. It allowed the district to raise an additional $18 million each year starting in the 2020-21 school year through the 2024-25 school year, then an additional $22.5 million in the 2025-26 school year through the 2028-29 school year, and then an additional $42.5 million in the 2029-30 school year through the 2050-51 school year. The funds were for "building modernization, land acquisition, enhancements for student career pathway programs, safety improvements, furnishings and equipment, technology and debt service for new building and other capital improvement projects," according to the DPI's database.

Looking at recurring referendums, the largest win was by Milwaukee Public Schools in April 2020: an $87 million recurring referendum that allowed the district to exceed its state-imposed revenue limit. The district slowly ramped up to that number, starting with $57 million in the 2020-21 school year, then increased by $20 million in the 2021-22 school year, then $7 million in the 2022-23 school year and $3 million in the 2023-24 school year.

What were the largest operational referendums ever rejected in Wisconsin?

The largest nonrecurring referendum to be rejected was by Racine Unified School District voters in April 2011. Voters turned down a proposed $35 million referendum that would have provided "operating funds to continue educational programs previously funded by federal stimulus funds and to fund staff and programs at new and updated elementary buildings."

The largest recurring referendum to be rejected was when Appleton Area School District voters rejected a proposed $10.9 million referendum that would have been for "improving class size ratios and purchasing curriculum materials including instructional technology."

What were the smallest operational referendums ever passed in Wisconsin?

Washington School District voters passed a $40,000 nonrecurring referendum in May 1998 to exceed the revenue limit for operating expenses in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 school years.

Stoughton Area School District voters passed a $19,250 recurring referendum in April 1999 to exceed its revenue limit for operating costs for the 1999-00 school year.

What were the smallest operational referendums ever rejected in Wisconsin?

The smallest nonrecurring operational referendum rejected was by Mauston School District voters in April 1999, when voters rejected a proposed $40,000 referendum that would have allowed the district to exceed its revenue limits for the 1999-00 school year.

The smallest recurring operational referendum was rejected by Oconto Falls School District voters in November 2008, when voters rejected a proposed $20,000 referendum that would have allowed the district to pay the operating costs of expanded outdoor facilities.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin school referendum: How many pass, fail, and the largest ever