When the Verona Area School District asked voters in 2017 to approve a roughly $181 million facilities referendum that local news outlets at the time described as among the largest school referendums in Wisconsin history, success was far from guaranteed.
The dollar amount grabbed headlines. But what ultimately carried the vote and delivered results wasn鈥檛 the size of the ask. It was the discipline of a long-term plan and the strength of the partnerships behind it. As The Cap Times reported,
Right now, with construction costs still volatile, enrollment patterns shifting, and communities demanding greater transparency, districts can鈥檛 afford to treat a referendum as a one-season campaign. Referendum success starts years before Election Day鈥攖hrough planning, trusted partners, and transparent community engagement.
For district leaders navigating aging facilities, enrollment shifts, and financial pressure, Verona Area School District鈥檚 experience offers a simple but powerful lesson: no referendum succeeds on passion alone. It succeeds when leaders surround themselves with the right expertise and invite the community into the process early and often.
Start with the long game, not the ballot
Verona Area School District鈥檚 referendum was not born out of urgency or crisis messaging. It was the result of a 10-year comprehensive facilities and financial plan that began with a very specific concern: elementary capacity.
Rather than rushing to a solution, district leadership evaluated multiple options, reviewed enrollment trends, and assessed how existing buildings were or were not serving students. That long runway mattered. It allowed leaders to explain why investment was needed and when, not just what they wanted to build.
For other districts, the takeaway is clear: voters are far more receptive when a referendum is positioned as the next logical step in a thoughtful, multi-year plan鈥攏ot a reaction to last year鈥檚 budget gap.
Build the right team and trust them
One of the most critical decisions Verona Area School District made was acknowledging that referendum success requires expertise beyond the administrative office. Strategic partners played distinct roles:
- Financial advisors supported credible, transparent projections and long-term sustainability modeling. Engagement with trusted financial advisors began years before the referendum. The district paid off debt, increased the bond rating and the fund balance.
- Communications partners helped translate complex facility and financing concepts into messages the community could understand and trust.
- Internal staff and board members aligned around a single narrative and set of priorities.
This wasn鈥檛 outsourcing leadership, it was strengthening it. By leaning on partners with deep referendum and finance experience, district leaders could focus on what mattered most: listening to stakeholders and maintaining consistency.
The payoff was tangible. When leadership transitioned later, the district鈥檚 budget remained among the top tier of statewide financial stability.
Let data guide the conversation
Before asking community members to vote, Verona Area School District asked them to talk.
The district conducted surveys, analyzed building capacity, and shared findings publicly. This approach reframed the referendum from 鈥渢he district wants鈥 to 鈥渉ere鈥檚 what the data tells us.鈥
For voters, that transparency built confidence. For leaders, it provided a reality check and helped refine scope, timing, and messaging.
Districts considering major capital investments should resist the temptation to finalize plans behind closed doors. Data builds credibility鈥攂ut only if people see it and understand it.
Deliver on the promise
Perhaps the most compelling part of the story came after the vote.
Facilities opened on time and under budget. When doors opened in fall 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, only 25% of the high school students were present. Thankfully, by year’s end, all the students were back at school, enjoying the new space.
That follow-through matters. Communities remember whether districts do what they say they will do. Success isn鈥檛 measured at the ballot box alone. It鈥檚 measured years later, when families walk into the buildings they were promised.
How ambitions become referendum victories
This referendum wasn鈥檛 successful because it was bold. It was successful because it was disciplined, collaborative, and grounded in trust.
For district leaders facing similar challenges, the lesson is simple: You don鈥檛 have to do it alone and you shouldn鈥檛.
When leaders surround themselves with the right partners, commit to long-term planning, and invite their communities into the process, even the most ambitious referendums can become shared victories.
