>> We leave it there. UW-Madison Professor Taylor
O'Toole, thanks very much. >> Thanks.
>> In the case of Wisconsin K-12 schools, enrollment
has been on a steady slide. In the 20 2425 school year,
there were 68,000 fewer students than in 2005.
Enrollment figures for this year aren't tallied until
the third week in September. Declines in school
populations mirror declines in the state population and
birth rates. School buildings being emptied out
is happening all over the state, an issue lawmakers
are hoping to address this fall by helping districts
consolidate. >> Because student
enrollment is the primary driver of our state's
school funding formula, districts experiencing
declining enrollment receive less money in state
aid. So to make up for this, many districts go to
referendum and they raise local property tax bills to
pay for increasingly empty buildings. The already
heavy burden on taxpayers will only get worse over
time. >> This is especially true
for rural districts. We embarking on consolidation
in the small Clark County cities of Loyal and
Greenwood. For more on this, we turn to Greenwood
District Administrator Jo Green and loyal
administrator Chris Lindner. And thanks to both of you
for being here. >> You bet. Thank you very
much for having us, Jo. >> Are these enrollment
numbers kind of the tipping point for what prompted the
moves to consolidate? >> It's definitely one of
the factors. It's a significant factor. I think
that, you know, when you think about factors of why
we look to consolidate, it's it's the declining
enrollment paired with the increasing difficulty to
hire highly qualified staff, which is then also, you
know, paired with creating more opportunities for our
kids and maintaining the opportunities that our kids
need to be college and career ready when they
leave the district. >> What is the mood among
residents for and families for this consolidation?
>> So this has been something that has been
talked about since 1960, early 2000. I think it was
approached once, if not twice, actually had a vote
on it, had a study done with it, and it did not
pass. We so it seems like every 20 years this this
continues to come up. And we are at 20, 25, 26 school
year, I believe community members, families are, are,
are ready to make that move. I know there's questions
out there. We we have done a number of things in the
last 2 or 3 years to help alleviate some of the pain
with co-opting a number of sports. Our marching band
is co-opt. We share some students back and forth for
classes. Some of your higher end classes that may
not run because or you run with 3 or 4 kids. Now you
can add some more kids to make it a little more
efficient for that teacher, communities which which
according to the advisory vote that we had last
spring, are for it and want to do something moving
forward to help alleviate, you know, what I'll say is,
is higher taxes and the operating referendums.
>> What are your opinions of the state right now
saying taking an interest in helping districts,
potentially incentivizing districts to consolidate?
>> Well, I it's music to our ears that there's
there's some interest. There was interest years
ago. And I think I'm cautiously optimistic that
they will they will take interest in in
consolidation. But again you know, what I would hate
to see is, is take the local control away from
consolidation is not right for everybody. I mean, the
school districts of Greenwood and Loyal are are
going down this road for for good reason. And and
the reasons are you know, we have similar a similar
tax base. We have a similar mill rate. Neither one of
us have debt. We're six miles apart. We share the
same bus service. There's a lot of lot of things that
make sense for our district, but that that don't
necessarily make sense for every district. So I hope
that the I hope the state supports in there. If there
is legislation, I hope they support the local control
that districts have. If they decide that this is
the right course of action to to help their districts
out. >> Chris, thoughts on that?
>> I would say throughout the state, you have a lot
of districts that are probably watching Doyle and
Greenwood to see what happens there. I hear it a
lot of superintendent conferences or meetings,
just that if we don't start working together and not
just Loyal and Greenwood, but all our districts, we
will be on an island by ourselves. And it won't be.
It will be a sinking ship or island, whatever you
want to say. Deserted. So we need to work together
and help not only survive, but to thrive.
>> Are you hopeful this will this will happen. And
when? By 2028. Is that right?
>> Yeah. We've been meeting as joint boards for the
better part of a year regularly to, you know,
work through this process. And our joint boards just
earlier this week passed a motion, both passed a
motion that there will be a a binding question on the
November 2026 ballot that if both communities approve
that question, then it's it's a binding
process to consolidate July 1st, 2028.
>> Okay. Well, we really appreciate you taking your
time out today to talk with us. Joe Greene from
Greenwood Schools and Chris Greenwood Schools and Chris