Access Board Meetings Online: Community members can stay informed by watching every board meeting on our YouTube channel, MCPASD TV. In the recap below, we have provided timestamps for the various sections of the meeting. These will help you follow along and jump directly to the parts of the video that interest you the most.
16:52 — Recognition and Approval of Sauk Trail Donation
The Board approved a $55,000 donation from the Sauk Trail Elementary School PTO to cover a majority of the cost of Sauk Trail’s new playground equipment, which includes equipment that is more accessible to students of all abilities. New equipment includes a wheelchair-accessible walking path that leads onto the playground structure, a wheelchair-accessible swing, and a display for learning braille.
Per Board of Education policy, the Board must approve all donations greater than $10,000.
18:45 — Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) Report
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Dr. Jan Chynoweth; Director of Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Dr. MaryBeth Paulisse; and Director of Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Ken Metz presented a report on Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) data.
The report highlighted strong student performance across the WSAS, including the Wisconsin Forward Exam, PreACT Secure and ACT. In 2025-26, MCPASD students outperformed statewide averages across all assessment measures. On the Forward Exam, proficiency rates were 18 to 23 percentage points higher than state averages across English language arts, math, science and social studies. The percentage of students scoring in the advanced range was also nearly twice the statewide percentage in every subject. Proficiency increased in all four subjects compared with 2023-24, with the largest gain in social studies at 6.6 percentage points.
High school results also reflected strong academic performance. Middleton High School ranked fifth among 356 public high schools for its average PreACT composite score of 20.9 and sixth among 363 public high schools for its average ACT composite score of 23.6. MCPASD students averaged approximately 3 to 4.5 points above statewide averages on the PreACT Secure and about four points above statewide averages across ACT subtests. The report also noted that MCPASD serves a larger and more diverse student population than many of the higher-ranked districts and schools.
The presentation outlined ongoing efforts to address achievement gaps and strengthen student learning. Priorities include continuing literacy initiatives and renewing literacy and math curricula, expanding culturally responsive teaching and support for multilingual learners, strengthening intervention systems and improving school improvement processes. The report emphasized that assessment data provides one perspective on student learning and should be considered alongside other factors when identifying student needs and guiding instructional decisions.
1:16:10 — Review of Revised Board Policies
The Board Policy Committee presented revisions for two Board policies, I-D Board Organization Policy and I-D.1 Filling Board Vacancies, to the full Board of Education. These revised policies follow electors’ approval of Resolution A – Special Item of Business Put Forward by Petition during the Sept. 22, 2026, Budget Hearing and Annual Meeting.
According to revised policy I-D, the MCPASD Board of Education will consist of nine members serving staggered three-year terms, with three seats elected each spring. Five of these seats are area seats (one seat for each of the District’s five geographic areas), and the remaining four seats will be at-large seats (open to any qualified elector residing anywhere in the District).
The transition to at-large seats will take effect as each seat reaches its regularly scheduled election, beginning with the Spring 2027 election. It will not shorten the current term of any incumbent Board member.
According to revised policy I-D.1, any person who fills a Board vacancy in an apportioned area must be a resident of the area in which the vacancy occurs, as well as a qualified elector of the District. Any person who fills an at-large Board vacancy must be a resident of and a qualified elector of the District. Individuals who are selected to fill Board vacancies shall not take office until they have taken and filed the oath of office.
The Board will vote on approval of these policy revisions during a future Board meeting.
1:23:39 — WASB Delegate for State Convention
The Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) will hold its Delegate Assembly on Jan. 20, 2027, during the Wisconsin State Education Convention. WASB encourages all Wisconsin school boards to nominate a member to be a delegate at the meeting.
The Board selected Jim Coursey to serve as the delegate during the 2027 convention.
1:27:12 — Adoption of the 2026-2027 Budget and Certification of the Tax Levy
The Board approved the 2026-27 school district budget and certified the associated tax levy after review from Director of Business Services Brian Krey. State law requires all Wisconsin school districts to complete this process on or before Nov. 1 every year.
MCPASD and other Wisconsin school districts receive their funding from two main sources every year: state equalization aid and local property taxes, which together make up the revenue limit. The District’s revenue limit is the maximum amount of revenue that we are allowed to collect from local taxpayers and the State through equalization aid. When state aid goes down, property taxes go up to maintain that revenue limit. It does not mean that the District has more money to spend; rather, it means that the state is contributing less and is making local taxpayers cover a greater portion of the same budget.
Under Wisconsin’s 2025-27 biennial budget, the state did not increase equalization aid for public school districts this year. This lack of increase in equalization aid, in addition to revenue limit increases not keeping pace with inflation, are the primary reason that MCPASD and many other school districts in Wisconsin are asking voters to approve an operational referendum question. Property taxes now fund nearly 83% of the $118.1 million revenue limit.
The total tax levy for 2026-27 is projected to increase to $111.9 million, which is an increase of more than 10% from last year. However, it is important to note that three factors will reduce the tax levy, bringing the net levy increase to just over 5% from last year:
Net new construction is projected to decrease the tax levy by 1.85%
The school levy tax credit is projected to decrease the tax levy by 0.50%
The closure of the City of Middleton Tax Increment District (TID) is projected to decrease the tax levy by 3.25%
The mill rate will also decrease slightly from $8.62 last year to $8.57 this year.
1:52:05 — Approval of After School Care Lease Agreements
The Board approved the After School Care Lease Agreements that Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing presented during the Oct. 12, 2026, meeting. The approved agreements are with i9 Sports, Kid SAFE, Play On Afterschool, and Wisconsin Youth Company.
MCPASD has historically partnered with private, outside agencies to provide after-school childcare on-site at the District’s elementary schools. The providers previously went through the District’s facility rental process, which typically focuses on more short-term purposes. Now, the providers have entered lease agreements with the District because they are in schools for long-term periods.
Next Board Meeting
The Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the District Services Center at 7106 South Ave. in Middleton.
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