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Sun Prairie Area School District, Wisconsin

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Sun Prairie Area School District
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Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
District details
Superintendent: Brad Saron
# of school board members: 7
Website: Link

Sun Prairie Area 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.

Brad Saron is the superintendent of the Sun Prairie Area School District. Saron was appointed superintendent in May 2015. Saron's previous career experience includes working as the superintendent of the Cashton School District and the Chippewa Falls Area School District, an English teacher, and a principal.[1]

School board

The Sun Prairie Area school board consists of seven members elected to three-year terms. Elections are held at large.[2][3]

Governing majority

To read about the governing majority on the Sun Prairie Area school board between 2015 and 2018, click
"[Show more]" below.

Show more
Sun Prairie Board of Education, 2016-2017
Carol Albright
Caren Diedrich
Marta Hansen
David Hoekstra
Marilyn Ruffin
Steve Schroeder
Tom Weber

2017-2018

The Sun Prairie Board of Education voted unanimously on 90.4 percent of its votes between April 24, 2017, and February 21, 2018. This percentage represented a 6.4 percent decrease from the previous time period measured. The board approved 110 out of 115 (95.65 percent) of its motions recording during this time period, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. These votes were counted from regular and special sessions, and exclude committee meetings. The top two issues voted on were board procedures (66.09 percent), fiscal/budgetary matters (25.22 percent), and personnel (2.61 percent).

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.[4]

Sun Prairie Board of Education, 2016-2017
Carol Albright
Caren Diedrich
Marta Hansen
David Hoekstra
Marilyn Ruffin
Steve Schroeder
Tom Weber

2016-2017

The Sun Prairie Board of Education voted unanimously on 96.8 percent of its votes between April 25, 2016, and March 27, 2017. This percentage represented a 0.6 percent decrease from the previous time period measured. The board approved 124 out of 125 (99 percent) of its motions recording during this time period, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. These votes were counted from regular and special sessions, and exclude committee meetings. The top three issues voted on were board procedures (61.6 percent), fiscal/budgetary matters (31.3 percent), and personnel (6.09 percent).

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.[4]

Sun Prairie Board of Education, 2016-2017
Carol Albright
Caren Diedrich
Marta Hansen
David Hoekstra
Marilyn Ruffin
Steve Schroeder
Tom Weber

2015-2016

The Sun Prairie Board of Education voted unanimously on 97.4 percent of its votes between April 27, 2015, and April 11, 2016. The board approved 125 out of 126 motions (99.2 percent) recorded during this time period, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. These votes were counted from regularly scheduled sessions, and exclude committee meetings.

  • When the board did not vote unanimously:
    • The largest disagreement was seen when a motion to approve administrator salaries failed after Caren Diedrich, Marta Hansen and Marilyn Ruffin voted "no."
    • David Hoekstra voted "no" once on a motion to approve the proposed 2015-16 administrative support staff salary schedule.
The voting data indicated that the largest area of disagreement for the board was administrator salaries. Other than this issue, 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. (Note: A bolded name indicates a board member was newly-elected.)[4]

Elections

See also: Sun Prairie Area School District, Wisconsin, elections

Elections for the Sun Prairie Area school board are held every year in April. Elections are staggered so that two or three seats are up for election each year.

Three seats on the board were up for general election and one seat was up for special 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 Sun Prairie Area school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[5]


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.[6]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $5,989,000 $716 4%
Local: $79,354,000 $9,485 53%
State: $63,901,000 $7,638 43%
Total: $149,244,000 $17,839
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $201,195,000 $24,049
Total Current Expenditures: $108,837,000 $13,009
Instructional Expenditures: $65,450,000 $7,823 33%
Student and Staff Support: $15,791,000 $1,887 8%
Administration: $13,450,000 $1,607 7%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $14,146,000 $1,690 7%
Total Capital Outlay: $78,632,000 $9,398
Construction: $76,034,000 $9,088
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $593,000 $70
Interest on Debt: $9,958,000 $1,190


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
2020-2021[7] $39,307 $81,065

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.[8]

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 36 60-64 8 20-24 >=50 30-34 43
2018-2019 47 56 11 27 <50 37 55
2017-2018 48 55 11 29 <50 39 58
2016-2017 47 52 10 32 <50 35 55
2015-2016 50 52 11 33 >=50 39 59
2014-2015 54 60-64 14 36 <50 40-44 63
2013-2014 61 60-64 27 45 40-59 71
2012-2013 61 55-59 28 40-44 40-59 70
2011-2012 60 55-59 27 40-44 50-59 70
2010-2011 85 80-84 60 75-79 70-79 91

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 39 55-59 10 30-34 <50 35-39 47
2018-2019 44 50 13 28 <50 36 52
2017-2018 45 49 10 31 <50 40 53
2016-2017 47 50 10 32 <50 39 55
2015-2016 48 49 13 33 <50 35 56
2014-2015 60 55-59 23 46 <50 45-49 69
2013-2014 43 40-44 16 23 21-39 52
2012-2013 43 35-39 14 20-24 40-59 52
2011-2012 43 35-39 17 25-29 30-39 51
2010-2011 88 80-84 71 75-79 80-89 92

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 94 >=90 80-84 80-89 >=90 97
2018-2019 92 >=90 80-84 90-94 PS 80-89 95
2017-2018 93 >=90 80-84 80-89 PS 80-89 97
2016-2017 95 >=80 80-89 >=90 PS >=90 96
2015-2016 90 >=80 75-79 70-79 PS >=80 94
2014-2015 93 >=80 80-89 80-89 PS >=80 96
2013-2014 94 >=80 80-84 >=90 PS 97
2012-2013 95 >=90 80-84 >=80 PS 97
2011-2012 93 >=80 85-89 >=80 >=50 95
2010-2011 95 >=80 85-89 >=80 PS 97


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 8,350 -0.4
2021-2022 8,381 0.2
2020-2021 8,366 -1.3
2019-2020 8,475 -0.5
2018-2019 8,521 1.1
2017-2018 8,428 2.3
2016-2017 8,234 1.5
2015-2016 8,107 3.3
2014-2015 7,837 3.0
2013-2014 7,598 3.0
2012-2013 7,373 3.8
2011-2012 7,095 1.7
2010-2011 6,975 4.9
2009-2010 6,633 7.0
2008-2009 6,172 2.7
2007-2008 6,008 1.0
2006-2007 5,946 4.3
2005-2006 5,691 3.5
2004-2005 5,493 4.6
2003-2004 5,240 4.8
2002-2003 4,987 1.1
2001-2002 4,931 3.1
2000-2001 4,776 0.8
1999-2000 4,738 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Sun Prairie Area School District (%) Wisconsin K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.5 1.0
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 10.4 4.2
Black 12.2 8.7
Hispanic 11.1 13.6
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.1 0.1
Two or More Races 9.2 5.1
White 56.5 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, Sun Prairie Area School District had 679.05 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 12.3.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 19.50
Kindergarten: 32.00
Elementary: 283.94
Secondary: 338.61
Total: 679.05

Sun Prairie Area School District employed 10.00 district administrators and 32.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 10.00
District Administrative Support: 35.41
School Administrators: 32.00
School Administrative Support: 37.60
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 191.81
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 21.25
Total Guidance Counselors: 20.50
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 9.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 11.50
Librarians/Media Specialists: 13.20
Library/Media Support: 6.50
Student Support Services: 88.66
Other Support Services: 187.33


Schools

The Sun Prairie Area School District operates 16 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Central Heights Middle4726-8
C H Bird Elementary340PK-5
Creekside Elementary339PK-5
Eastside Elementary425PK-5
Horizon Elementary364PK-5
Meadow View Elementary362PK-5
Northside Elementary371PK-5
Patrick Marsh Middle5946-8
Prairie Phoenix Academy669-12
Prairie View Middle6666-8
Royal Oaks Elementary449PK-5
Sun Prairie East High1,2749-12
Sun Prairie Four Kids443PK-PK
Sun Prairie West High1,2949-12
Token Springs Elementary430PK-5
Westside Elementary413PK-5

Noteworthy events

2015: Superintendents write to state government over proposed budget cuts

Former Sun Prairie Area Superintendent Tim Culver signed a letter with 18 other superintendents across the state, asking the governor and the Wisconsin State Legislature for a consistent funding plan. The letter was written in February 2015 in response to the budget proposed by Gov. Scott Walker (R) earlier in the year that called for a reduction in per-student funding by $150 for the 2015-2016 school year and an additional $165 per student for the 2016-2017 school year.[9]

In the letter, the superintendents discussed their concerns that such a budget cut would require cutting staff, salaries, or benefits in order for their districts to stay afloat, which they worried would make it nearly impossible to retain talented teachers. They said they believed inflationary growth was necessary to maintain and grow their educational programs.[9]

Walker's call to change the state's assessment system and allow districts to choose their own assessments from a state-approved list was also mentioned in the superintendent's letter. They asked the state government for one assessment system, saying an accountability system consisting of different assessments would create confusion.[9] The full letter can be found here.

The final budget did not include the per-student funding cuts, but it did keep per-student funding flat for the 2015-2016 school year. That funding then increased by $69 million for the 2016-2017 school year. Though the state's assessment system was not changed in the budget, a provision was added to seek permission to use additional assessments. The provision required the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to seek a waiver from the federal government, which required states to use one test for all schools.[10][11]

2014: Superintendent resigns

In December 2014, Dr. Tim Culver, superintendent of the Sun Prairie Area School District, announced he would retire from the district effective June 30, 2015, after serving for over 17 years. During his time as superintendent, the district grew from an enrollment of 4,000 to nearly 8,000 students. Culver helped launch full-day kindergarten, the city's 4K program, and the Sun Prairie Education Foundation. He left the district to become superintendent of the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District in July 2015.[12]

The school board named Brad Saron as the new superintendent. He took the reins on July 1, 2015. He previously served the Chippewa Falls Area School District.[1]

2014: District changes teacher pay models after Act 10

The Sun Prairie Area School District started requiring teachers to take 60 hours of professional development courses in order to advance to the district's next pay level in the 2014-2015 school year. The district also adjusted salaries for teachers with certification in high-need subject areas. This model followed a new trend in changing teacher pay plans after Wisconsin's Act 10 came into effect.[13]

Act 10 prohibits unions from negotiating anything more than base wages up to the rate of inflation, leaving the rest of a teacher's salary up to the school district. Tim Culver, Sun Prairie's former superintendent, said it was valuable for a district to be able to reward teachers who have degrees in competitive fields like engineering and agriculture.[13][14]

Contact information

Sun Prairie Area School District seal.png

501 South Bird St.
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Phone: 608-834-6500
Fax: 608-837-9311


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 Sun Prairie Star, "New superintendent gives introduction speech," accessed May 29, 2015
  2. ↑ Sun Prairie Area School District, "Board of Education," accessed July 27, 2021
  3. ↑ Sun Prairie Area School District, "Meet the School Board Members," accessed January 15, 2015
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sun Prairie Area School District, "Board Docs," accessed February 10, 2017
  5. ↑ Sun Prairie Area School District, "BOARD PROCEDURE 3 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS ," accessed January 29, 2024
  6. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  7. ↑ Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction, "Public Teacher Salary Report: 2020-2021, Sun Prairie Area School District," accessed July 27, 2021
  8. ↑ 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
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 NBC 15, "Superintendents send letter to lawmakers over budget concerns," February 18, 2015
  10. ↑ Star Tribune, "Highlights of Wisconsin state budget signed by governor," July 12, 2015
  11. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Gov. Scott Walker's budget message, veto summary," July 12, 2015
  12. ↑ The Sun Prarie Star, "Sun Prairie Area School District superintendent announces retirement," accessed December 17, 2014
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Wisconsin State Journal, "A teacher 'marketplace' emerges in post-Act 10 Wisconsin," accessed September 7, 2014
  14. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "In wake of Act 10, school districts changing teacher pay formulas," August 18, 2014
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