By Jill Jokela
When you fill out your ballot for the Nov. 3 election, you’ll be asked to vote on two referendum questions in support of Madison’s public schools.
One question is a facilities referendum asking for $317 million to renovate the four comprehensive high schools, build a new south Madison elementary school and consolidate Capital High to a central location.
The other question is an operating referendum asking for $33 million to drive equity projects, such as all day 4-year-old kindergarten and the Early College Stem Academy, maintain our investment in small class sizes, and provide needed programming in arts, music, science/technology, athletics and more.
Our beautiful East High building has been slowly transforming in recent years with the renovations of the theater and field house. The facilities referendum will allow that transformation to continue with projects slated to renovate labs, music rooms, the library and other classroom spaces and create a renovated, highly visible and welcoming main entrance on the Fourth Street side of the building. The referendum also includes infrastructure projects to support the health and comfort of our students, including whole school air conditioning, bathroom upgrades, and a new elevator for accessibility.
The success of our schools depends on the talented and dedicated teachers and staff who interact with our students on a daily basis. The operating referendum addresses the chronic underfunding of education at the state level and ensures that the district is able to recruit and retain highly skilled staff and maintain effective and manageable class sizes. The referendum also includes funding to implement equity initiatives to provide the quality classroom experiences that our children need and deserve.
Our neighborhood schools are one of our most important community assets and the children who attend those schools are our future. A thriving Madison requires strong, well-funded public schools. These referenda represent your opportunity to make a transformational investment in our schools and our children.
Vote yes to invest in Madison’s public schools.