Wisconsin · Pardeeville · Columbia County · CESA 05

Pardeeville Area School District

District briefing, fall 2026: enrollment, achievement, finances and property taxes.

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Pardeeville Area School District: one referendum question

Shall the Pardeeville Area School District, Columbia and Marquette Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $13,100,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project consisting of: construction of an addition and renovations at the Middle/High School, including for classrooms and instructional space, restrooms, a cafeteria and a safe and secure entrance; demolition of the Balliet building; renovations at the High School, including to restrooms and for expansion of the existing kitchen/cafeteria; district-wide capital improvement projects identified in the district's capital improvement plan; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?

Source: county clerk notice

Enrollment
866
2024-25
Revenue-limit members
827
2025-26 funding count
Enrollment, 5 yr
+0.7%
headcount change · peers −5.7%
Forward ELA z
−0.22
last 3 tested years
Cost / member
$16,493
2024-25
Mill rate
6.89
statewide K-12 6.90
Home value
+18%
5-yr avg vs. 14 nearby districts
Teachers staying
91%
2025-26
Enrollment

866 students in 2024-25, +0.7% over five years while the regional peer median moved −5.7%.

Achievement

Forward Exam results average −0.22 (ELA) and −0.31 (math) on a z scale over the last three tested years, where 0 is the average Wisconsin district. ACT composite: 18.8 against a statewide median of 19.2.

Spending

$16,493 total cost per member in 2024-25, below the regional peer median of $18,178 and below the statewide median of $18,324.

Taxes

The school tax rate is 6.89 mills (2025-26), against a statewide K-12 median of 6.90; the 2025-26 levy is $7.1M, 13% of it referendum-approved debt.

Revenue limit

$14,100 per member under the state revenue limit, against a statewide K-12 median of $13,575; voters have decided 10 operating questions, passing 8, most recently Apr 2022 (recurring, passed).

Pardeeville enrolled 866 students in 2024-25 (September membership). Since 2009-10 its enrollment has fallen 7%; the median regional peer shrank 5% and the median Wisconsin district shrank 12%. The chart indexes each series to its 2009-10 level. Private schools inside the district's boundaries enroll 3.7% of school-age children (2024-25), against 9.7% in the median district.

PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Wisconsin (median district)
103999490862009-102013-142017-182024-25

Students, 2025-26

Student group2025-262020-21Median WI district
Students with disabilities14.5%12.5%16.6%
English learners0.9%0.1%2.4%
Economically disadvantaged31.0%33.0%36.7%
White93.4%93.9%85.3%
Hispanic3.3%2.3%6.8%
Two or More2.8%2.9%3.9%
Black0.2%0.5%1.0%
Asian0.1%0.5%0.9%
Amer Indian0.1%—0.4%

Community (ACS 2024)

MeasurePardeevilleMedian WI district
Median household income$82,993$77,317
Poverty rate9.0%8.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or more18.4%25.4%
Households with children32.0%25.9%
Residents 65 and older17.9%20.5%
Median home value$279,800$241,800

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Pardeeville averaged $237,300, 18% above the median of the 14 districts within 25 miles ($201,560). That ranks 6th of 15 in the area and at the 64th percentile of Wisconsin districts (state median $205,920).

ACS 5-year releasePardeevilleNearby medianDifferenceWisconsin median
2016–20$196,800$167,250+18%$172,200
2017–21$214,800$176,600+22%$182,750
2018–22$240,400$208,650+15%$210,250
2019–23$254,700$221,100+15%$227,050
2020–24$279,800$235,400+19%$241,800
Five-release average$237,300$201,560+18%$205,920

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median value of owner-occupied homes (table B25077), in nominal dollars. Consecutive releases share four of their five survey years, so the average is a smoothed level rather than five independent years. Nearby districts are those whose NCES office address lies within 25 miles of Pardeeville's: Lodi (19 mi, $333,740); Sun Prairie Area (25 mi, $314,140); De Forest Area (20 mi, $313,060); Poynette (11 mi, $273,260); Fall River (16 mi, $266,480); Rio Community (7 mi, $226,860); Baraboo (24 mi, $205,460); Portage Community (9 mi, $197,660); Markesan (20 mi, $194,740); Randolph (15 mi, $194,180); Beaver Dam Unified (24 mi, $187,720); Montello (18 mi, $183,020); Cambria-Friesland (10 mi, $180,440); Princeton (23 mi, $167,360).

Enrollment and the funding count

Wisconsin's revenue limit, which caps what a district may raise from general state aid and the property tax combined, is set per member using a three-year rolling average of membership: each September's full-time-equivalent count plus 40% of summer-school FTE. Pardeeville's revenue-limit membership for 2025-26 is 827.

School yearEnrolled studentsRevenue-limit membershipPer enrolled student
2020-218568470.99
2021-228778560.98
2022-238688560.99
2023-248768570.98
2024-258668480.98
2025-26—827—

DPI revenue limit worksheets (three-year average membership) and DPI September membership. Years without a membership count show a dash.

In spring 2025, 52% of Pardeeville students met or exceeded Forward standards in ELA and 52% in math, against 54% and 57% in the median Wisconsin district.

On a z scale, which puts every year on the same footing across the 2023-24 rescaling, Pardeeville averaged −0.22 in ELA and −0.31 in math over the last three tested years, against +0.34 and +0.24 in its first three years on file.

PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Average Wisconsin district (0)

ELA

+0.93+0.47+0.01−0.45−0.902015-162019-202024-25

Math

+0.89+0.39−0.12−0.62−1.122015-162019-202024-25

Wisconsin rescaled the Forward Exam in 2023-24. Z-scores standardize each year's result against every comparable district that year (0 = the average district; +1 = one standard deviation above), so years on either side of a test or cut-score change can be compared. Testing was canceled in spring 2020.

Attendance, ACT, college-going and discipline

MeasurePardeevilleRegional peersWisconsin medianYear
Attendance rate92.5%93.7%94.3%2024-25
Chronic absenteeism7.6%13.2%10.9%2024-25
ACT composite (grade 11)18.819.419.22024-25
Enrolled in college the first fall100.0%100.0%100.0%2024-25
Suspensions and expulsions per 1,00027.834.333.02024-25

DPI WISEdash files. Chronic absenteeism = share of students missing 10% or more of enrolled days.

Pardeeville's total cost per member was $16,493 in 2024-25, against $18,178 for the median regional peer and $18,324 for the median Wisconsin district. Local property tax paid for 38% of revenue, against 38% statewide.

PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Wisconsin (median district)
$19,288$16,799$14,309$11,820$9,3302006-072010-112014-152018-192024-25

The revenue limit allows $14,100 per member for 2025-26, above the statewide K-12 median of $13,575 and above the regional peer median of $13,563. The limit counts general state aid and the property tax together, so state aid changes move the levy rather than total revenue. Voters have decided 10 operating questions, passing 8, most recently apr 2022 (recurring, passed).

PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Wisconsin (median district)
$14,792$13,004$11,217$9,429$7,6412005-062009-102013-142017-182021-222025-26

Total district cost per member and revenue shares: DPI comparative cost data. Revenue limit: DPI revenue limit worksheets; statewide comparison is K-12 districts only.

The district's 2025-26 levy is $7.1M, at a rate of 6.89 mills per $1,000 of equalized value (statewide K-12 median 6.90). 13% of the levy repays referendum-approved debt (Fund 39).

Levy yearTotal levyGeneral fund (Fund 10)Referendum debt (Fund 39)Mill rate
2020-21$5.6M$4.7M$0.9M9.26
2021-22$5.6M$4.3M$1.3M8.34
2022-23$5.4M$4.7M$0.7M7.18
2023-24$5.7M$4.9M$0.7M6.68
2024-25$5.6M$4.7M$0.9M5.95
2025-26$7.1M$6.2M$0.9M6.89
PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Wisconsin (median district)
11.7010.118.526.925.332006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

The median residential property-tax bill inside the district, all governments, was $3,035 in 2025 (statewide median $2,766). The full bill on the median home comes to 3.2% of median household income, and the school portion on that home ($279,800) is about $1,665.

Property tax on the median home, by taxing authority, payable 2026

A home at Pardeeville's median value, about $382,000 at the current assessment, owes roughly $4,370 in property tax for taxes payable 2026. The school district's part is $2,630 (54% before credits); the rest goes to the county, the city, village or town, the technical college district and special districts such as sanitary and lake districts, less the state's school levy tax credit. That bill is about the same as the average regional peer's median home.

Taxing authorityPardeevilleRegional peers (average)
School district$2,630 54%$2,280 48%
Technical college$230 5%$200 4%
County$1,170 24%$1,190 25%
City, village or town$690 14%$920 19%
Special districts$120 2%$170 4%
State school levy tax credit−$470−$420
Total$4,370$4,340
Median home value$382,000$322,000

Each column is the tax on that district's own median home; peer columns average the districts in the group. The percentage is each authority's share of the bill before credits.

The same $382,000 home at each group's tax rates

Holding the house constant separates tax rates from home values. Taxed at Pardeeville's rates the home owes $4,370; at the regional peers' rates it would owe $5,120 on average.

Taxing authorityPardeevilleRegional peers (average)
School district$2,630 54%$2,660 47%
Technical college$230 5%$230 4%
County$1,170 24%$1,440 26%
City, village or town$690 14%$1,070 19%
Special districts$120 2%$200 4%
State school levy tax credit−$470−$490
Total$4,370$5,120
Tax as a share of home value1.15%1.34%

Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Town, Village and City Taxes, 2025 levies (taxes payable 2026): each taxing body's levy over the full value it is spread on. The school rate is the district's own levy over its equalized value; county, municipal, technical college and special-district rates are averages over the towns, villages and cities the district covers, weighted by its value in each, so a home in any one of them pays somewhat more or less. The school levy tax credit is the state-paid credit DOR spreads by municipality; the lottery and gaming credit and first dollar credit, applied per parcel, are not included. Median home value: Census ACS 2024 5-year median for owner-occupied homes, brought to January 1, 2025 values by the change in the district's TIF-out equalized value since 2022. The parcel-based median bill above runs lower because it covers every residential parcel, including vacant lots, condominiums and smaller homes, and is net of the per-parcel credits.

Levy by fund and equalized value: DPI and Department of Revenue. Typical bill: parcel-level residential bills inside the district boundary; school portion applies the school mill rate to the ACS median home value and is an estimate.

Voters have decided 18 referendum questions since 2000 and approved 13.

ElectionTypePurposeAmountYesResult
Apr 2022OperatingRevenue Control$1.8M58.8%Passed
Apr 2022OperatingRevenue Control$0.8M58.8%Passed
Apr 2017CapitalBuilding Referendum$11.9M56.7%Passed
Apr 2017OperatingRevenue Control$3.4M59.8%Passed
Apr 2017OperatingRevenue Control$0.1M59.8%Passed
Apr 2014OperatingTo exceed Revenue Cap from 2014-15 school year to 2017-18 school year$3.5M65.2%Passed
Apr 2014CapitalMaintenance and Tech Ed Equipment Referendum for $800,000$0.8M73.0%Passed
Apr 2012OperatingExceed Revenue Control by $925,000 for non recurring purposes$1.9M57.8%Passed
Apr 2012CapitalMaintenance and Technology Projects$1.0M61.9%Passed
Apr 2010Operatingnon-recurring purposes$1.8M64.6%Passed
Feb 2007Operatingoperating expenses of the district$2.5M51.3%Passed
Feb 2004Capitalconstruction of addition to Jr HS and HS building and remodeling and improvements of di...$3.2M59.8%Passed
Feb 2003Operatingpaying expenses of operating new ES$0.3M34.5%Failed
Feb 2003Capitalinstallation of air conditioning for lower level of existing ES and HS$1.0M35.4%Failed
Feb 2003Capitalconstruct/equip new ES and remodel existing ES and HS$11.9M36.8%Failed
Apr 2002Operatingrecurring purposes$0.3M30.4%Failed
Apr 2002Capitalconstruct new MS, addition to ES and Remodel HS$13.5M31.2%Failed
Aug 2000Capitalpurchase of 60 acres of land$0.4M82.8%Passed

DPI referenda file, 1993 onward.

91% of Pardeeville's teachers stayed in the district into 2025-26, against 91% for the median regional peer and 91% statewide; 2% left Wisconsin public schools. Average teacher salary was $66,961, against $59,894 for the median peer and $61,273 statewide.

PardeevilleRegional peers (median)Wisconsin (median district)
97%93%90%86%83%2016-172018-192020-212022-232024-25

Staff by role, 2016-17 to 2025-26

RoleHeadcount, firstHeadcount, lastChangePeer median change
Administrators76−14%+6%
Teachers65650%−1%
Aides/Paraprofessionals2122+5%−2%
Pupil Services86−25%+12%
Other4940−18%−1%

DPI All Staff files: distinct people by role. Peer median change across the regional peers.

DPI All Staff files, person-level, linked year to year.

Wherever this briefing sets Pardeeville beside other districts, it uses the group below. A group figure is the middle value across its members (the property-tax tables on the median home use the average instead), each counted equally, so one large member cannot dominate it.

Regional peers 12 districts

The 12 Wisconsin districts of the same type most like Pardeeville on four measures: distance and CESA (30% of the weight), total cost per member (30%), the Census child poverty rate (25%) and locale, meaning city, suburb, town or rural (15%). Districts under 400 students are not eligible.

DistrictCountyCESALocaleMiles awayEnrollmentCost per member
Portage CommunityColumbia05Town102,113$18,141
PoynetteColumbia05Rural13993$19,574
MontelloMarquette05Rural14679$20,129
RandolphDodge05Rural14473$22,732
Fall RiverColumbia05Town16490$18,338
MarkesanGreen Lake06Rural16762$16,840
ColumbusColumbia05Town201,173$18,214
BarabooSauk05Town232,850$17,820
Wisconsin DellsSauk05Town231,808$18,294
WestfieldMarquette05Rural251,144$17,377
Adams-Friendship AreaAdams05Rural381,443$17,990
MaustonJuneau05Rural391,439$17,486

“Wisconsin median” is the middle value across Wisconsin districts; property-tax and revenue-limit comparisons use K-12 districts only, because elementary and union high school districts overlap the same territory.