- How many square feet and acres does the district maintain?
- What are the School District of Janesville’s facility needs?
- Why do these needs exist in the first place?
- Why is the district taking a phased approach to addressing these needs?
- What is the proposed solution to the district’s facility needs?
- Would every school receive funding to improve its facilities?
- What are the specific facility maintenance needs at each school building?
- What has been involved in the long-term facilities planning process?
- What language will appear on the November 5, 2024 ballot?
- When would I see the tax impact if the referendum passes?
- Has our community had an opportunity to provide input?
- How would an approved capital referendum impact property taxes in our community?
- Would capital referendum dollars go toward staff salaries and benefits?
- What will happen if the capital referendum is approved?
How many square feet and acres does the district maintain?
The School District of Janesville maintains:
- 12 elementary buildings account for a total 847,553 square feet on 113 acres.
- 3 middle school buildings account for a total of 524,003 square feet on 73 acres.
- 2 high school buildings account for a total of 661,923 square feet on 107 acres.
The district also maintains the Educational Service Center, Rock River Charter School and the Chestnut House totaling under 50,000 square feet and under 3 acres.
In total, the district maintains more than 2,083,000square feet of property on about 296 acres. This is comparable to maintaining 1,000 homes of 2,000 square feet.
What are the School District of Janesville’s facility needs?
While our buildings have been well maintained over the years, our facilities are aging and in need of urgent attention. In 2024, our 20 school facilities have an average age of 63. The district faces a minimum of $578 million in long-term capital maintenance needs, including $137 million in immediate, high-priority projects.
The most pressing needs in the School District of Janesville include the following:
- Buildings & Grounds: Investing in mechanical systems, electrical components, plumbing fixtures, roofing systems, interior fixtures, and other capital maintenance is critical to extending the lifespan of our schools. The state school funding formula makes it difficult for us to invest significant year-to-year funding in capital maintenance, forcing us to defer all but the most pressing projects each year.
- Safety & Security: Thanks to voter support, we have ensured that each of our buildings has a secure entry sequence. However, we must continue to improve safety and security. For example, many of our buildings lack “layers” of security that allow portions of a school to be segmented in case of emergency.
- Special Education Spaces: More speciality spaces are required for us to best serve our growing population of special education students. Many of our schools lack well-designed occupational and physical therapy spaces, as well as small-group spaces our specialists can use with special education students.
As we implement our new Strategic Plan and the Resources & Facilities priorities identified within it, we must address these needs to provide truly exceptional learning environments for our current and future students.
Why do these needs exist in the first place?
Our facilities and custodial staff do a wonderful job of maintaining our facilities given the resources available for capital maintenance projects. However, the state-imposed revenue limit restricts the funding available to Wisconsin schools, including the School District of Janesville.
This revenue limit makes it difficult to use our operating budget to meet our capital maintenance needs, which means that large facilities projects are often deferred. This results in a growing list of high-priority maintenance needs. A voter-approved capital referendum is necessary to address these needs in a comprehensive manner.
Why is the district taking a phased approach to addressing these needs?
While our facility needs are substantial, addressing them all at once is not a realistic solution. We believe the most responsible approach is to develop a long-term, phased plan that prioritizes our most immediate needs while saving additional needs for future years.
The Board of Education has voted to place a capital referendum question on the ballot for November 2024. This would represent Phase 1 of the long-term plan.
What is the proposed solution to the district’s facility needs?
Based on the district’s long-range facilities planning process and the input we have received from our community over the past two years, the Board of Education has decided to present a $151.8 million capital referendum on the ballot for Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
If it’s approved, SDJ would move forward on Phase 1 of our long-range facilities plan. Below is how these first-phase projects would break down:
- $124.5 million to repair or replace high-priority capital maintenance needs
- $11.1 million to enhance safety and security
- $16.2 million to improve special education classrooms
These projects would impact every school in the district and address the most pressing needs in each building.
Would every school receive funding to improve its facilities?
Yes. However, needs vary from school to school. To that end, schools may receive varying levels of funds based on their needs.
What are the specific facility maintenance needs at each school building?
Below isa full list of facility maintenance needs at each of our buildings.
Adams:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms, ramps, and stairs
- Exterior window replacement
- Replace lockers
- Replace unit ventilators and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
Harrison:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms & multi-use room stage
- Exterior window replacement
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility
- Upgrade parking lot lighting to LED
- Replace electrical panels
- Update electrical service to accommodate new air conditioning
- Replace selective pumps in mechanical room
Jackson:
- Repair foundation cracks
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- ADA access to the courtyard
- Selective exterior sealant repairs
- Exterior window replacement
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace selective pumps in mechanical room
- Upgrade parking lot lighting to LED
- Replace electrical panels
- Update electrical service to accommodate new air conditioning
Jefferson:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Replace exterior soffit
- Exterior window replacement
- Selective exterior door and overhead door repairs
- Replace kitchen coiling door
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility
- Replace electrical panels
Kennedy:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Update site lighting
- Update pipe fittings for heating system
Lincoln:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Selective roof repairs
- Exterior window replacement
- Selective exterior door and overhead door repairs
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
Madison:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms & multi-use room stage
- Various exterior ADA improvements
- Exterior window replacement
- Selective exterior door repairs
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
Monroe:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Various exterior ADA improvements
- Exterior soffit repairs
- Exterior window replacement
- Selective exterior walk door and overhead door repairs
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
- Update electrical service to accommodate new air conditioning
Roosevelt:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Various exterior ADA improvements including north stair
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
Van Buren:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Overhead exterior door repairs
- Selective bathroom tile repairs
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical switchboard due to added air conditioning
Washington:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Selective roof replacement
- Selective brick and masonry sill repairs
- Exterior window replacement
- Selective exterior door repairs
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Replace electrical panels
- Update electrical service to accommodate new air conditioning
Wilson:
- Repair foundation and floor slab cracks
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Various exterior ADA improvements
- Replace exterior windows
- Exterior masonry joint/crack repairs
- Remove portico colonnade & patch wall
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility and updated controls
- Add thermostatic mixing valves (TMV’s) at sinks
Edison:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms
- Investigate structural issues and repair masonry cracks
- Replace stage curtain, lighting, and sound systems
- Replace auditorium seating
- Replace electrical panels
Franklin:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms and locker rooms
- Various exterior ADA improvements
- Add elevator to 2nd floor gym space
- ADA accessibility to the auditorium stage
- Replace roofing
- Replace stage curtain, lighting, and sound systems
- Replace auditorium seating
Marshall:
- Replace and update generator
- Update devices and circuiting to the generator
- Repair/maintain security system
- Replace chiller and boiler equipment
Craig:
- Replace stage curtain, lighting, and sound systems
- Replace auditorium seating
- Replace electrical panels and feeder to the pool
- Selective repair/maintain to the security system
- Add thermostat control to select systems
Parker:
- Repairs to south terrace, above pool locker room
- Replace aluminum entry doors and overhead doors
- Replace exterior louvers
- Replace stage curtain, lighting, and sound systems
- Replace auditorium seating
- Replace electrical panels and feeder to the pool
Educational Services Center:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms and primary travel routes
- Exterior window and storefront replacement
- Replace electrical panels and upgrade fire alarm system
- Provide conditioned air to entire facility
Chestnut House:
- ADA improvements to toilet rooms and various entryways
- Upgrade keyless entry system
- Upgrade thermostat control
- Replace toilet fixtures
Rock River Charter:
- ADA improvements to main ramp and kitchen sink
- Roof membrane and parapet repairs
- Upgrade keyless entry system
- Upgrade thermostat control
What has been involved in the long-term facilities planning process?
The School District of Janesville’s long-term facilities planning process has been data driven and intentional. We began with a facilities assessment that involved a comprehensive study of our facilities, including a review of major building systems and a study of how our facilities support our educational goals.
An additional study of the district’s outdoor sites and athletics fields accompanied the facilities assessment. Cost estimates were calculated for the building conditions portion of the facilities assessment.
Below are the key takeaways from the facilities assessment:
- Many schools have antiquated, inefficient, or deteriorating building systems that are at or beyond their service life. This includes electrical components, mechanical systems, plumbing, roofing, windows, and more.
- Many buildings lack breakout areas and large-group instructional spaces used for collaboration, small group instruction, or co-teaching.
- Most career and technical education and family and consumer science labs are outdated.
- Many buildings could benefit from enhanced security measures, such as “layering” security features and improving traffic flow.
- Many specialty spaces, such as theater and athletics, suffer from various inadequacies.
We are being as thoughtful as possible during the planning process, using data and facts to make key decisions. Along the way, we are engaging parents, staff, and community members into these needs and potential solutions.
What language will appear on the November 5, 2024 ballot?
The referendum questions are as follows:
Question 1:BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District of Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin, that there shall be issued, pursuant to Chapter 67, Wisconsin Statutes, General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $151,800,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a building and improvement program consisting of: District-wide building renovation, site improvements, safety and security updates, capital improvements, HVAC systems upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act updates, special education support spaces; and acquisition of related fixtures, furnishings and equipment.
Shall the foregoing resolution of the School Board of the School District of Janesville be approved?
Question 2:Shall the School Board of the School District of Janesville be authorized to exceed the revenue limit under Section 121.91 of the Wisconsin Statutes beginning with the 2025-26 school year through the 2026-27 school year on a non-recurring basis by an amount of $14,500,000 each year for the purpose of paying the costs of maintaining District class size, student program options and services as provided in the foregoing resolution?
When would I see the tax impact if the referendum passes?
If both or either referendum passes, you wouldnot see any changes from this action until your December 2025 property tax bill.
Has our community had an opportunity to provide input?
Yes. The district held three staff informational sessions and three community conversations in winter and spring 2024 to provide information and gather feedback from our community. In addition, the district surveyed all community members in spring 2024.
Through this survey, we learned that there was solid support for addressing our most pressing facility needs, but not at the level outlined in our initial base plan of projects. The proposed solution of a $169.5 million referendum for facility improvements did not receive enough support from survey respondents to provide the Board of Education with confidence that a project of that size would be approved by voters in November.
The board asked the district administration and CORE Planning Team to refine and reduce the project components included in a potential capital referendum for facility improvements to better align with the level of support the community indicated through the survey.
The CORE Planning team and district leaders then engaged in a process to refine the proposed plan for facility improvements. In doing so, they prioritized ensuring student and staff safety; meeting the specialized needs of our most vulnerable students; and creating healthy learning environments.
The team developed a new proposal that reduced the amount of a potential capital referendum from $169.5 million to $151.8 million. These reductions will defer some projects until future phases of the long-range facilities plan.
At its July 23, 2024, meeting, the Board of Education received the updated recommendation and approved a $151.8 million capital referendum question for the November 5, 2024 ballot.
How would an approved capital referendum impact property taxes in our community?
The property tax impact of the capital referendum would be $81 per every $100,000 of assessed fair market property value. A home valued at $300,000 would see a property tax impact of $243 per year (or $20.25 per month) on their December2025 property tax bill.
Would capital referendum dollars go toward staff salaries and benefits?
No. The Board of Education is asking voters to approve a capital referendum. The funds generated through a voter-approved referendum may only go toward facility improvements, such as new construction, additions, and renovations. The money cannot be used for staff salaries or other operational costs.
What will happen if the capital referendum is approved?
If the referendum is approved by voters on November 5, the district and board will begin planning next steps in the process. This would involve working with our architect and construction manager to develop detailed plans and a phased project schedule for when work would take place in our 20 facilities over the course of the next several years.
