After much public debate, the hotly contested Arrowhead School District Referendum received an overwhelming ‘No’ vote. On Tuesday, April 1, Wisconsin’s spring election decided that the proposed $136.2 million school project would not pass. If approved, the referendum would have funded several updates that would consolidate buildings and update the campus at Arrowhead High School. The primary argument against its approval was a fear about the direct increase in taxes for those living within the district. A similar, yet more costly, referendum was also present on the November 2024 ballot. That first referendum had an even higher request of $261.2 million for the school, but was shot down as well.
The spring 2025 election saw residents vote 63.4% ‘No’, receiving a total of 11,888 votes against the school’s expansion. Despite urging from the school district and many members of the community, it was not embraced by voters. The Arrowhead School District issued a press release on Facebook that addressed how the community is directly responsible for the state of their public schools:
The district will continue maintaining its current facilities, though officials have noted that significant facilities needs remain unresolved. “We remain committed to providing the best possible learning environment for our students at Arrowhead,” stated School Board President, Kim Schubert. “The referendum results inform us as we continue to determine the best path forward to address our long-range facility needs.”
No further plans have yet to announced for the future of the district and the facilities currently on its campus, although the district has pledged to maintain the buildings.
Last month, on March 18, a lawsuit had been filed against the Arrowhead School District. It claimed that the district was not being honest with voters about the actual cost of the new facilities. The group, which used the name “Arrowhead No”, warned that there would be additional costs because Arrowhead had failed to factor interest fees into the proposed plan. The group also argued that the updates were not as necessary as district superintendent Conrad Farner made them appear. The future of this lawsuit remains uncertain since the referendum was voted down. For the time being, students at Arrowhead High School will have to utilize the currently available facilities.
