McFarland School District, Wisconsin
| McFarland School District |
|---|
 |
| 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
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
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]
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| McFarland School District School Board At-large | Megan Chatman | April 22, 2024 |
| McFarland School District School Board At-large | Meghan Fessler | April 25, 2022 |
| McFarland School District School Board At-large | Bruce Fischer | April 26, 2021 |
| McFarland School District School Board At-large | Craig Howery | April 27, 2020 |
| McFarland School District School Board At-large | Meredith Hughey | April 28, 2025 |
Governing majority
To read about the governing majority on the McFarland Board of Education between 2015 and 2018, click
"[Show more]" below.
| 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
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.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The McFarland Board of Education maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[8]
School board meetings
The following articles were produced by Citizen Portal using artificial intelligence to analyze public meetings. Citizen Portal publishes articles based on the availability of meeting broadcasts, so the number of articles provided may vary by district. Although these articles are not produced or edited by Ballotpedia, they are included here as a supplemental resource for readers.
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]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $3,560,000 | $687 | 5% |
| Local: | $51,566,000 | $9,951 | 71% |
| State: | $17,083,000 | $3,297 | 24% |
| Total: | $72,209,000 | $13,935 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $68,859,000 | $13,288 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $64,159,000 | $12,381 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $50,529,000 | $9,750 | 73% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $3,829,000 | $738 | 6% |
| Administration: | $4,441,000 | $857 | 6% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $5,360,000 | $1,034 | 8% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $1,357,000 | $261 | |
| Construction: | $189,000 | $36 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $523,000 | $100 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $2,034,000 | $392 |
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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 5,639 | 2.7 |
| 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 |
| RACE | McFarland School District (%) | Wisconsin K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.6 | 4.3 |
| Black | 10.1 | 8.8 |
| Hispanic | 11.7 | 14.0 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 8.5 | 5.4 |
| White | 66.2 | 66.5 |
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 2023-2024 school year, McFarland School District had 342.81 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 16.45.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 5.50 |
| Kindergarten: | 13.19 |
| Elementary: | 94.62 |
| Secondary: | 229.50 |
| Total: | 342.81 |
McFarland School District employed 6.00 district administrators and 16.42 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 6.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 0.00 |
| School Administrators: | 16.42 |
| School Administrative Support: | 40.50 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 13.20 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 18.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 6.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 12.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 5.80 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 38.93 |
| Other Support Services: | 25.39 |
Schools
Contact information
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
- Search Google News for this topic
- McFarland School District
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
- Wisconsin Association of School Boards
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The McFarland Thistle, "Aaron Tarnutzer is chosen as McFarland superintendent," accessed December 7, 2023
- ↑ McFarland School District, "Introducing Dr. Andrew Briddell," accessed May 11, 2015
- ↑ McFarland School District, "Board Communication April 21, 2021," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑ McFarland School District, "School Board," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑ McFardland School Board, "Minutes of the School Board Meeting Held July 19, 2017," July 19, 2017
- ↑ McFarland School District, "Agendas & Minutes," accessed March 27, 2018
- ↑ McFarland School District, "Agendas & Minutes," accessed February 7, 2017
- ↑ McFarland School District, "PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS," accessed December 7, 2023
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2023-2024, McFarland School District," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2022-2023, McFarland School District," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2020-2021, McFarland School District," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑ 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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