Final Results of Nicolet Resident Survey Unveiled

The Nicolet School District has received the final results of a resident survey and the numbers still show strong support for a review of consolidating all area districts into one district that would serve students in kindergarten through 12th grades.

The district hired the independent educational research firm School Perceptions to conduct the survey of residents in the four communities in the district - Fox Point, Bayside, Glendale and River Hills.

One of the bigger questions people responded to was about the possibility of consolidating all of Nicolet's feeder districts.

In the final survey results presented to the district, not only were the responses tallied, but comments from respondents also were shared.

The survey showed that 78 percent of parents and 81 percent of nonparents support exploration of a consolidation. Here are a few of those comments regarding consolidation:

• "It's amazing the waste of money to have double and triple administration for the same small community. I would like to see an outside agency, other than the administrators this would effect, decide this option."

• "While consolidation would seem to make sense, combining only among the current K-8 Nicolet feeders and Nicolet does not. The three K8s are land-locked, so there would be nothing to hope for with increased state revenue funding. It's hard to imagine much savings beyond $400,000 or $500,000 with reduce or rearranged administration, and that amount doesn't begin to remedy the the combined financial challenges/shortfalls of the four districts."

• "Consolidate all of the districts into one K-12 school district, with one superintendent instead of four superintendents. All of the economies of scale would invariably result in lower administration costs ensuring that every available penny went to the actual education."

The survey also asked about things like how residents would like to receive communications from Nicolet, how it should reduce costs, and whether there is enough support for a $2 million referendum that would allow the district maintain its current level of programs for the next four years.

A common theme among the comments from nonparents is they do not receive information on the district except for a rare newsletter. These nonparents still pay money to the district through their taxes, so while they may not have children attending Nicolet, they would like to know what their tax dollars are being used for.

When it comes to cutting costs, many comments were related to reducing electives. One resident said: "Reduce AP options in half. This is high school not freshman college."

Others suggested decreasing personnel and benefits for teachers, consolidation and "getting back to the basics."

"Focus on the basics - instruction, food service, athletics and services for special education students - everything else is superfluous and can be handled by parents or other organizations."

Respondents were divided on the question about the $2 million referendum, with 40 percent saying they would support it, 42 percent saying they wouldn't and 18 percent unsure.

A referendum was backed by 48 percent of parents and 34 percent of nonparents.

Several of the comments included references to a "top-heavy administration." Another respondent said there was no sign of any "fat-cutting measures" being pursued by the district.

"With declining enrollment, how in the world can you justify a cost increase? You people better wake up to this fact."

On the other hand, some did support a potential referendum.

"Would support a tax increase, but not sure how much. Would depend on the amount of cost savings that are also implemented. I do not support tax increases as only means of making up budget shortfalls."

And another person who backed a referendum added: "I would support a tax increase if I was seeing the changes I support."

The School Board will discuss the possibility of consolidation at its Jan. 24 meeting.