District sees almost half-million-dollar surplus

WAUPACA – After a deficit of $1.5 million during the 2025-2026 school year, the Waupaca School District will see a surplus of almost half million dollars after tightening its belt on spending.

Austin Moore, Waupaca School District finance director, said they were able to bring down the deficit from $1.5 million to $26,000 with frugal spending, like reducing operational costs and locking in 80% of natural gas costs at lower rates.

The largest impact on the spending was in reducing staff, Moore said, with the loss of five teachers for the current school year, three at the high school, one at the middle school and one at the Waupaca Learning Center.

The district did not replace support staff, including custodial, maintenance and educational assistants, due to hiring challenges, which generated additional operational savings.

The district also increased revenue to maximize funds regarding students with special needs who require more support, as well as applying for high-cost aid.

These moves allowed the district to avoid short-term borrowing, which helps the district avoid interest costs associated with short-term loans.

Moore said by maintaining appropriate fund balances, the school district of Waupaca has avoided borrowing, and therefore has avoided these short-term costs.

The additional funds will be applied to Fund 10, which is the general fund where all of the main expenses come out of, as well as where revenues are applied to.

Moore said this account pays for teachers, administration, utilities, insurance, bussing and supplies, basically everything aside from special education and food service.

The district also saw a $180,000 decrease in vouchers, which last year was $1.5 million and projected to be $1.75 million for the current school year; however, the voucher payment came in at $1.35 million.

The district’s conservative spending that allowed for the surplus also helped the district decrease the projected mill rate to $5.53, originally projected at $5.90 last spring; the mill rate is the amount charged per $1,000 of a property’s value.   

However, the mill rate is up 18 cents since last school year, which was $5.35.

Moore said the surplus will be beneficial when the district receives results from the strategic plan facility study, which helps guide the district where to spend funds based on the district’s vision of the future and the direction it wants to head.

“Identifying what matters most to our community, and what resources and facilities are needed to make that happen, is critical for our community as we continue preparing our students for life after high school,” Moore said.