Horicon School District Approves Proposed Budget

The School District of Horicon Board of Education held a budget hearing and annual meeting following the regular monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 15.
In a letter presented by District Administrator Katie Schwartz, she said, “As the administration develops the budget for the 2025-26 school year, we continue to work toward remaining fiscally responsible and operationally stable despite significant obstacles. Declining enrollment, reduced state aid, and state-imposed revenue limits are just some of those obstacles. The 2025-2027 State Biennial Budget includes a $325 per member increase for both years but no increase to the low revenue ceiling which remains at $11,000. The Per-Pupil Categorical Aid will remain at $742 per pupil, which has not increased since the 2019-2020 school year. Districts will receive increased special education aid for high-cost students and categorical aid based on availability of funding. Although some of the changes will benefit the district, they are not enough to address the increased cost of labor and materials in today’s world.”
Schwartz continued, “Preliminary budget estimates for the 2025-2026 school year show that the School District of Horicon can expect $7,130,673 in state aid, a decrease of $322,746 from 2024-2025. The proposed budget calls for an increase in the All-Fund Tax Levy of $579,976 and we anticipate that the mill rate will be approximately 7.64.”
Final budget numbers will not be available until October 15, and the final budget and tax levy will be approved at the October 20 meeting.
Schwartz later shared that the district is anticipated to start the 2025-2026 fiscal year with a fund balance of $2,407,456.75, reflecting an increase from last year. The district is proposing a deficit budget of $114,727.

“Our goal is to present a balanced or surplus budget that supports our board’s long-term goal of maintaining our fund balance equal to 18% of Fund 10 expenditures,” Schwartz said. “Right now, we’re projected to be at 21%.”
Annual Meeting
After the budget hearing, the board moved right into the annual meeting. The board approved a resolution with the proposed tax of $5,227,541. The also approved resolutions for proving transportation, salary and reimbursement of board members, naming Horicon Bank as the official despository, the food service program, authorizing payments for pupil accident insurance, naming the Dodge County Pionier as the official newspaper, and authorizing regular monthly board meetings on every third Monday of the month.
September Regular Board Meeting
During the regular board meeting earlier in the evening, Patrick O’Connell’s retirement was announced. The fourth grade teacher will retire at the end of this school year. “Pat has given his heart and soul to Horicon, and [it is] a very well-deserved retirement, and we’re definitely going to miss him,” said Elementary Principal Lisa Sawyer. “He’s just done a great job. [He has] great relationships with staff and students and we’ll definitely feel his absence.”
The board also approved the spring band trip to Mackinac Island and a renewal of the co-op with Beaver Dam for girls’ hockey.