MMSD Board Adopts Two Budgets for 2024–25 School Year

The MMSD Board of Education adopted two budgets for the 2024–25 school year, one that takes into account the passage of the district’s operations referendum and one that does not. 

“Every year, developing a budget that equitably accounts for the needs of our students, staff and community is among our greatest challenges and highest responsibilities,” said Bob Soldner, MMSD’s assistant superintendent of financial services. “This year is no exception.”

Both budgets see MMSD drawing from its General Education Fund (Fund 10) to account for items such as wages, equity projects and healthcare-cost increases: the passage budget would reduce the fund by $22.4 million, resulting in a balance of $92.3 million; the non-passage budget would reduce it by $45.7 million, leaving a balance of $68.9 million. 

If the operations referendum is not successful, an additional 2.06% increase in staff wages—negotiated over the summer between the district and Madison Teachers Inc. (MTI), the union that represents approximately 4,175 members of MMSD’s workforce—would not materialize; collectively, that pay raise would amount to $7.1 million.

Further, the Board would need to begin considering cuts to programming, services and personnel for the 2025–26 school year, as the district’s revenues would not be capable of supporting its current expenditures. Significantly, employee compensation comprises 81% of MMSD’s operating expenses, by far the district’s largest annual expenditure.

“Madison is a community that understands the importance of public education and has demonstrated a commitment to supporting its schools time and again over the years,” said Soldner. “We are hopeful that as many people as possible will head to the polls next week to exercise their constitutional right to vote.” 

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. To register to vote, and to find your polling location, please visit: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Register-To-Vote