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In the recent election, 50% of the school districts holding referendums got the OK to move forward.

Those asking for recurring referendum limits were all denied. That means those who passed without having the amount recurring will no doubt have to come back at a later date to ask for more.

That's the scenario the State of Wisconsin government has created for the districts in the state. They give so much money in the form of state aid to the districts and anything else the districts need they have to raise themselves.

School districts are constantly criticized for not managing their budgets well. But when 80% or so come out as salaries for staff, there isn't much left to do much managing.

School districts not getting their referendums to pass are now figuring out how to combine classes and determine which teachers will go. There are also administrators who will lose their jobs as well as support persons. And, major repair projects will be put on hold.

All this because the state says districts will get only so much money and the rest is up to them to raise themselves.

Sure, districts can let people go. Businesses have had to do that for the past several years. But letting those people go comes at what cost?

How about increased class sizes? Studies have shown that smaller class sizes are most effective in promoting learning. But, in many districts those will be things of the past.

Cuts are never good for the most part and school districts have been running out of ways to cut and trim while still offering a good education.

Maybe the state will figure this out some day. While it is good to point to attempting to balance the state budget it is not good when it comes at the expense of shortchanging our schools and the students.