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McFarland School District, Wisconsin

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McFarland School District
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Dane County, Wisconsin
District details
Superintendent: Aaron Tarnutzer
# of school board members: 5
Website: Link

McFarland School District is a school district in Wisconsin.

Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...

Superintendent

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 		This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Aaron Tarnutzer is the superintendent of the McFarland School District. He was appointed on February 7, 2022. His previous career experience includes working in the district as a district administrator, principal, and associate principal.[1]

Past superintendents

  • Dr. Wayne Anderson was the interim superintendent of the McFarland School District from May 2021 until February 7, 2022.[1]
  • Andrew Briddell was the superintendent of the McFarland School District. Briddell was appointed superintendent in 2015 and served until 2021. Briddell's previous career experience included working as a school administrator.[2][3]

School board

McFarland School District schools are overseen by a five-member board elected to three-year terms. Elections are held at large.[4]

Governing majority

To read about the governing majority on the McFarland Board of Education between 2015 and 2018, click
"[Show more]" below.

Show more
McFarland Board of Education, 2017-2018
Kelly Cheramy
Arlyn Halvorson
Craig Howery
Ann Molitor
Tom Mooney

2017-2018

The McFarland Board of Education voted unanimously on 99.1 percent of its votes between May 1, 2017, and March 5, 2018. The board approved 111 out of 112 motions (99.1 percent) recorded during this time, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. These votes were counted from executive, special, and regularly scheduled sessions, and exclude committee meetings.

The board did not vote unanimously on a motion to approve action on naming of elementary school facilities. The board voted 2 to 1, with Kelly Cheramy voting in opposition. Ann Molitor and Tom Mooney were not present at the meeting.[5]

The voting data indicated that there was no clear governing majority or minority faction on the board. No individual board member's voting record differed significantly from that of the other board members. The table to the left shows the composition of the board during the time period measured.

Board procedures and district procedures each accounted for 36.6 percent of votes. The board also voted on motions related to fiscal/budgetary matters (8 percent), personnel (7.1 percent), athletics (4.5 percent), curriculum (4.5 percent), and charter schools (2.7 percent).[6]

McFarland Board of Education, 2015-2017
Tom Allen
Kelly Cheramy
Arlyn Halvorson
Craig Howery
Ann Molitor

2015-2017

The McFarland Board of Education voted unanimously on 100 percent of its votes between April 6, 2015, and January 10, 2017. The board approved 204 out of 204 motions (100 percent) recorded during this time, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. These votes were counted from executive, special, and regularly scheduled sessions, and exclude committee meetings.

The voting data indicated that there was no clear governing majority or minority faction on the board. No individual board member's voting record differed significantly from that of the other board members. The table to the right shows the composition of the board during the time period measured.[7]

Elections

See also: McFarland School District, Wisconsin, elections

Members of the McFarland Board of Education are elected annually at the spring election on the first Tuesday in April. Elections are staggered so that one or two seats are up for election each year.

Two seats on the board were up for general election on April 1, 2025. A primary was scheduled for February 18, 2025, but it was canceled due to lack of opposition. The filing deadline for this election was January 7, 2025.

Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


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Public participation in board meetings

The McFarland Board of Education maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[8]


District map

School district map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[9]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $1,736,000 $285 2%
Local: $55,698,000 $9,144 75%
State: $16,658,000 $2,735 22%
Total: $74,092,000 $12,164
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $71,108,000 $11,674
Total Current Expenditures: $65,777,000 $10,799
Instructional Expenditures: $53,044,000 $8,708 75%
Student and Staff Support: $3,302,000 $542 5%
Administration: $4,283,000 $703 6%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $5,148,000 $845 7%
Total Capital Outlay: $1,810,000 $297
Construction: $0 $0
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $427,000 $70
Interest on Debt: $2,113,000 $346


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2023-2024[10] $34,749 $89,060
2022-2023[11] $35,000 $85,646
2020-2021[12] $4,538 $79,731

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[13]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 27 60-64 <=5 10-14 <=20 15-19 31
2018-2019 41 55-59 10-14 15-19 <=20 25-29 46
2017-2018 43 60-69 6-9 20-24 <50 35-39 48
2016-2017 46 70-79 10-14 25-29 <50 30-34 50
2015-2016 47 60-69 6-9 25-29 <=20 35-39 50
2014-2015 47 70-79 10-14 30-34 40-59 35-39 50
2013-2014 53 70-74 25-29 25-29 30-39 57
2012-2013 53 65-69 15-19 25-29 20-29 57
2011-2012 58 60-69 20-24 40-44 21-39 61
2010-2011 84 80-89 45-49 75-79 >=50 87

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 34 50-54 10-14 25-29 21-39 30-34 37
2018-2019 40 50-54 10-14 20-24 21-39 25-29 44
2017-2018 44 50-59 10-14 30-34 <50 30-34 49
2016-2017 44 50-59 15-19 30-34 <50 35-39 47
2015-2016 47 50-59 10-14 25-29 <=20 30-34 51
2014-2015 59 70-79 30-34 40-44 40-59 50-54 61
2013-2014 45 55-59 25-29 25-29 30-39 48
2012-2013 44 55-59 15-19 25-29 20-29 47
2011-2012 48 55-59 20-24 30-34 40-59 49
2010-2011 91 80-89 65-69 90-94 >=50 93

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 75 >=80 60-69 65-69 >=50 60-69 78
2018-2019 72 >=50 50-59 65-69 >=50 50-59 76
2017-2018 75 >=50 60-79 60-79 PS 60-79 77
2016-2017 74 PS 60-79 60-69 <50 40-59 76
2015-2016 76 >=50 40-59 60-69 PS 60-79 77
2014-2015 73 PS 21-39 40-59 >=50 60-79 78
2013-2014 75 >=50 60-79 40-59 >=50 76
2012-2013 75 >=50 60-79 60-79 <50 75-79
2011-2012 85 PS >=50 >=50 PS 85-89
2010-2011 85-89 >=50 >=50 >=50 PS 90-94


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 5,484 5.5
2021-2022 5,182 -17.5
2020-2021 6,091 16.7
2019-2020 5,076 12.4
2018-2019 4,447 2.3
2017-2018 4,343 -1.1
2016-2017 4,392 2.9
2015-2016 4,266 -0.9
2014-2015 4,304 -1.2
2013-2014 4,355 1.4
2012-2013 4,293 24.1
2011-2012 3,260 8.7
2010-2011 2,976 12.2
2009-2010 2,614 17.9
2008-2009 2,147 3.5
2007-2008 2,071 2.6
2006-2007 2,017 -0.7
2005-2006 2,031 2.1
2004-2005 1,988 1.2
2003-2004 1,964 -0.3
2002-2003 1,969 5.0
2001-2002 1,871 -4.3
2000-2001 1,951 0.7
1999-2000 1,938 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE McFarland School District (%) Wisconsin K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.8 1.0
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 2.5 4.2
Black 9.0 8.7
Hispanic 11.6 13.6
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.0 0.1
Two or More Races 8.1 5.1
White 67.9 67.2

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2022-2023 school year, McFarland School District had 322.54 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 17.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 6.00
Kindergarten: 14.19
Elementary: 96.12
Secondary: 206.23
Total: 322.54

McFarland School District employed 6.00 district administrators and 15.41 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 6.00
District Administrative Support: 4.67
School Administrators: 15.41
School Administrative Support: 38.77
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 40.88
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 5.20
Total Guidance Counselors: 17.00
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 3.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 14.00
Librarians/Media Specialists: 4.25
Library/Media Support: 2.94
Student Support Services: 36.73
Other Support Services: 72.30


Schools

The McFarland School District operates nine schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
4k Mcfarland125PK-PK
Conrad Elvehjem Primary School471PK-2
Destinations Career Academy Of Wisconsin High2329-12
Indian Mound Middle5316-8
Insight School Of Wisconsin High1739-12
Mcfarland High7779-12
Waubesa Intermediate5403-5
Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (Wiva)1,2709-12
Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (Wiva)1,365KG-8

Contact information

McFarland School District seal.png
McFarland School District
5101 Farwell St.
McFarland, WI 53558
Phone: 608-838-4500


About school boards

Education legislation in Wisconsin

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

Wisconsin School Board Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The McFarland Thistle, "Aaron Tarnutzer is chosen as McFarland superintendent," accessed December 7, 2023
  2. ↑ McFarland School District, "Introducing Dr. Andrew Briddell," accessed May 11, 2015
  3. ↑ McFarland School District, "Board Communication April 21, 2021," accessed July 27, 2021
  4. ↑ McFarland School District, "School Board," accessed July 27, 2021
  5. ↑ McFardland School Board, "Minutes of the School Board Meeting Held July 19, 2017," July 19, 2017
  6. ↑ McFarland School District, "Agendas & Minutes," accessed March 27, 2018
  7. ↑ McFarland School District, "Agendas & Minutes," accessed February 7, 2017
  8. ↑ McFarland School District, "PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS," accessed December 7, 2023
  9. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  10. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2023-2024, McFarland School District," accessed April 23, 2025
  11. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2022-2023, McFarland School District," accessed April 23, 2025
  12. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2020-2021, McFarland School District," accessed July 27, 2021
  13. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
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