(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha Unified School District’s latest effort to gather public input on budget reductions is drawing criticism from some parents and residents who say district leaders have already decided to pursue another referendum and are simply creating the appearance of public involvement.
On Monday, KUSD distributed a survey asking parents, students and staff to suggest budget cuts as the district faces a projected $10 million budget deficit in 2026. District officials said the deficit could exceed $17 million if salary advancements are approved. The district warned that if the School Board chooses not to pursue a referendum, or if voters reject one, significant budget reductions would be necessary.
The survey comes less than a year and a half after KUSD voters overwhelmingly rejected the district’s last referendum request. In February 2025, voters turned down a proposal that would have allowed the district to exceed state-imposed revenue limits by $23 million annually for five years, totaling approximately $115 million. The referendum failed despite being presented to an electorate centered in the Democrat-leaning City of Kenosha.
KUSD’s latest survey asks participants to submit ideas for reducing programs, services and expenditures by June 10. According to the district, submissions will be reviewed for ideas that have not already been proposed or considered.
Many residents, however, say they are skeptical the feedback will matter.
Several parents and taxpayers who contacted Kenosha County Eye said they believe district officials are virtually certain to pursue another referendum regardless of the public response. Some described the survey as a “dog and pony show” designed to give the impression that residents are helping shape the district’s financial future when the outcome has already been decided.
Others accused the district of fear-mongering by emphasizing the potential consequences of a failed referendum. Critics argued that repeatedly warning about major cuts to programs and services appears intended to build support for a future tax increase rather than encourage a genuine discussion about spending reductions.
Another source of controversy is the survey’s requirement that participants identify themselves before providing feedback.
The form requires respondents to provide their first and last names and identify whether they are a parent or guardian, student, staff member residing within the district, or staff member residing outside the district. Anonymous participation is not permitted.
Several residents said they were uncomfortable with the requirement and questioned why anonymous suggestions are not being accepted. Some said the identification requirement could discourage candid feedback from parents, students, and employees who disagree with district leadership or who may be reluctant to criticize district spending decisions.
The district’s survey instructs respondents to focus on practical, districtwide budget reductions and specifically asks participants not to identify individual employees in their submissions.
KUSD has not yet formally approved a referendum for the November 2026 ballot. However, district communications indicate officials are actively exploring that option as they confront the projected deficit.
The School Board is expected to continue discussing the district’s financial outlook and potential referendum plans in the coming months. Meanwhile, many residents appear unconvinced that the latest request for public feedback will significantly influence whatever decision district leaders ultimately make.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
18 Responses
KUSD … scamorama …nice work Kevin
Trim the fat at KUSD at 52 Street, NO More shortfall, start with Weiss!!!
Minimum of 50% cut in staff in that bloated building, tied with at LEAST 30% cut in every school of “staff” and KUSD would have budget surpluses for decades.
Not one single program or activity cut. Problem solved.
The farther from the children you are the more money you make. Start with the administrators and give a raise to the teachers doing the work.
Shut it down. Start anew. Stipends and performance bonus. No more dead weight at the top.
Cut ESL (English as a Second Language)? Let’s have an honest conversation.
Many KUSD students—Black, White, and others—are struggling to read and write proficiently in their first language. If a large percentage of our own students aren’t meeting reading standards, why aren’t we putting more focus and resources into fixing that problem first? Oh because people think it’s just the black kids when it’s the entire KUSD
How would this work? The students that don’t speak English as their 1st would then be taught exclusively in that language until they are proficient? I don’t think that’s your argument but that’s what you’re saying.
When KUSD spends additional money and resources on ESL programs, those students ultimately gain an advantage of learning two languages. Meanwhile, white and black students whose first and only language is English are struggling and can’t read or write at grade level.
So we teach the kids that don’t speak English natively in their native language? I’m being purposely dense because this makes no sense. Are you saying they can’t read or write at grade level because something the district isn’t doing? I bet my left nut it’s the parents. It’s always the parents or lack their of.
Start at the top. Why can’t they balance the budget? Do we need a forensic account to step in? Get rid of the “coach”, like mentioned in the story about the racist teacher.
Don’t backfill Haitcocks job.
Perhaps like corporate America, benefits will need to be more expensive, less raises.. it’s what happens to the rest of us.
You don’t deserve a raise just for showing up. Look at test scores. Those kinds of KPIs “in the real world” would have a lot of these “teachers” on PIP.
I’m curious as to why these surveys were only sent to people connected work the schools. There are alot of us that pay school taxes even if we don’t have kids in school. We should have a say too. Although I’m sure they will still do whatever they want.
It went out on ParentSquare. They knew what they were doing
This is easy to me. Close Reuther it is no longer providing education when 5% are proficient in reading and math. Close any school under 65 percent of capacity. Please list the Hillcrest site for sale or auction immediately. Please list or auction the land on 52nd Street between 52nd Street and Curtis Strange playground. The governor guaranteed you $325 per student per year for 400 years (for 2026-2027 that’s $5.5 million). Since that last referendum you are down 775 students in 2025-2026, and at least that beginning 2026-2027. So at least 1400 students just since the last referendum (@$17,000 per student that is $23 million dollars). It has to be cuts in teachers, administrators and staff since you are at the lowest enrollment since at least 1997 and going lower for years to come.
Not just close Reuther, close all those damn little schools including Harborside and just have the 3 high schools and make these prima Donna’s attend Tremper, Indian Trail or Bradford! No need for all these different High Schools!! They didn’t need to build a brand new Lakeview Technology, if they incorporated that school into one of the others!!! If they want there kid to go to a special school, let them put them in private school!!
Get rid of the school board as they are all useless and do what they want, when they want!! There are all sorts of things that KUSD can to without asking for more money, but the administration just wants to keep sucking it out of the taxpayers!!
For as much as our taxes went up and the school getting a nice chunk of 25.3% of my taxes, they shouldn’t need alto put through another referendum!!! Enrollment declines every year, they have closed how many schools older schools except the piece of shit that they call Reuther and Harborside that is shared. Close the old piece of nastiness and divide those kids back to their boundary high schools!!!
They could nearly close the gap just by shuttering and selling Reuther. All those other fake charter schools just siphon funds. Though I am not sure you can close the charter schools, you can make them less attractive. Barring the charter students’ access to KUSD extracurricular activities may help.
1st of all why would people who pay taxes but have no kids at unified be excluded from the survey when they will be responsible for any increases in funding?
2nd, its time taxpayers stop this never ending funding!! Trim the people on the payroll starting from thethe top to bottom.
3rd its time raises are tied to performance & test scores & students are held back when they don’t meet the standards–in other wards they “flunk”.
KUSD used to have a person that had a physical education degree in charge of the entire special education department. Wonder why performance is so low in this district? No common sense is used in management.
Start by remembering that the Kenosha Unified School District was converted to the Kenosha Common School District in 1994, where we now get to vote at the yearly meeting.