The Plan

Stabilize funding for Marshall Public Schools

To address our financial challenges, the district will ask voters to consider an operating levy during a referendum on Tuesday, November 4.

If approved by voters, the levy will provide $2 million annually for Marshall Public Schools’ general fund, equal to approximately $765 per pupil. The general fund supports day-to-day operations, including:

  • Academic and student support services

  • Teachers and classroom staffing

  • Career and technical education programs

  • Supplies, materials, and technology

  • Utilities, cleaning, and groundskeeping

This additional funding is equivalent to a budget increase of approximately 5%.

With stable funding, we can build on what’s working — and keep students moving forward.

Marshall Public Schools is seeing real, measurable progress across our schools. If approved, operating levy funds would help us protect and expand:

  • Early Literacy Support: Programs like our Reading Intervention initiative at Park Side, where 91% of K–1 students improved their reading performance.

  • Career and Technical Education: Enrollment is up 18% in our CTE Institute for 2025–26, with more students exploring hands-on pathways to careers in health care, trades, engineering and more. More students are taking hands-on classes that connect to careers in the trades, manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, and culinary arts, right here in our community.

  • Student Support Programs: Initiatives like BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) provide personalized instruction and relationship-building to support every learner.

  • Behavior and Attendance: Chronic absenteeism has dropped, and disciplinary incidents are down — signs that our support systems are working.

  • Activities and Athletics: 18 different programs represented at state-level competitions this year — including BPA, Knowledge Bowl, wrestling, speech, and track.

We want to keep this momentum going. But without funding, many of these opportunities are at risk.

What happens if the referendum is rejected?

If the referendum fails, the district will cut approximately $1.9 million from the budget. This will include 29 staff positions across all schools and reductions in programming and transportation routes. These reductions would mean:

  • Larger class sizes at almost every grade level, by as much as 20%

  • Fewer specialists to assist students who require extra academic support 

  • Fewer career-prep classes in middle and high school

  • Fewer administrative staff to keep schools running smoothly and support teachers

  • Fewer bus routes