All residents of the School District of Cudahy are invited to learn more about the District's Operational and Capital Referendum at any of the community information meetings scheduled below:

• Wednesday, October 2 at 6PM, General Mitchell Elementary, 5950 S Illinois Avenue

• Thursday October 10 at 6PM, Cudahy High School, 4950 S Lake Drive

• Wednesday October 23 from 10AM - Noon, Cudahy Public Library, 3500 Library Drive

In Person Voting:
All eligible school district voters may cast their ballot on election day at their normal polling location.

• Bring Your ID to the Polls: Voters are required to provide photo identification at polling locations prior to voting.

Absentee Voting:
In Wisconsin, you don't have to wait until election day to cast your ballot - you can vote early for any reason as long as you meet the required dates.

Learn more at
myvote.wi.gov

The School District of Cudahy Board of Education approved two important questions for the November 5, 2024, general election ballot. Residents of the Cudahy School District will vote on two referendum questions:

• A 2-year, Non-Recurring Operational Referendum and

• A Capital Referendum for critical maintenance items

It is very important to vote on both questions. EVERY VOTE MATTERS!

QUESTION 1: Operational Referendum Seeking $5.2 Million for two years

Background

Like many public school districts in Wisconsin, the Cudahy School District has faced budget challenges for several years. The state of Wisconsin limits how much money schools can receive from any source, so school districts often need to ask local taxpayers for additional funding. 

The District has been cutting expenses, delaying maintenance projects, and using savings to offset deficits. Meanwhile, the District’s current operating referendum approved in 2020 will end June 30, 2025.

What is the Operational Referendum?

To maintain the current level of operations and educational programming, the District will seek to renew this funding via the operational referendum question on the November 5 ballot.

If voters approve the Operational Referendum with a “yes” vote on November 5, they will be approving:

• $5.2 million per year for 2 years: This funding will help maintain educational programs and services and pay competitive salaries for teachers and staff.

If voters approve the operating referendum, how will the funding be used?

• Maintain class sizes to acceptable levels; 

• Continue existing programming for students:

• Continue to offer regionally competitive salaries to attract and retain high-quality teachers and staff;

Question 2: Capital Referendum Seeking $12 Million for Building Repairs

Background

Five of Cudahy’s school buildings are over 50 years old, and many essential systems, like roofs, heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems, are aging and need repair. There are also safety and security concerns that need to be addressed. 

Extensive community engagement sessions and a community survey occurred between February and July 2025 to determine if the District should close one or two schools to save money and avoid repairs. Community input indicated that more time is needed for a thorough analysis. Survey results were inconclusive on this topic.

Therefore, the Board of Education and District administration have committed to completing a one-year study to determine the best way to address the challenges of declining enrollment, excess facilities space, and increasing expenses and repairs. The study has been initiated and is expected to take place August 2024-July 2025.

Meanwhile, all schools have critical maintenance needs, and delaying maintenance to save money is no longer possible. 

What will happen if the capital referendum is approved? 

A capital referendum allows the district to borrow funds for specific purposes. In the case of Cudahy, we are addressing:

 High-cost deferred maintenance, and 

Safety and Security

Here is the list of critical needs that will be addressed by the November 2025 referendum.

Referendum 2024 Project List

Thank you to all of our community members and families who attended our Community Information Sessions! At our last one, on October 23rd, we welcomed Ann Chapman from WASBO (Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials). Ms. Chapman spoke to the community about why districts need to go to referendum. If you were unable to join us, you can watch Ms. Chapman's presentation here!

Questions? Email us at info@cudahysd.org

Michelle Garven, Ph.D.
Superintendent
School District of Cudahy
5530 S Barland Avenue
Cudahy, WI 53110
(414) 294-7400
info@cudahysd.org