Hustisford School District to Dissolve After Financial Struggle

Hustisford School District to Dissolve After Financial Struggle

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Hustisford School District Dissolves, Ending 175 Years of Local Education

For the first time in 36 years, a Wisconsin public school district will cease to exist. On Thursday, the School District Boundary Appeal Board voted unanimously to approve the dissolution of the financially troubled Hustisford School District, a move that will see its approximately 275 kindergarten through 12th grade students transfer to the neighboring Dodgeland School District. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that this decision marks the end of an era for the small Dodge County community, which has been served by its own district since the 19th century.

The dissolution is not a sudden collapse but the final act in a long struggle. Hustisford students are already attending Dodgeland schools this year under a temporary tuition agreement. The district’s path to this point has been defined by years of financial strain, highlighted by the rejection of five funding referendums over the past five years, including an operational referendum earlier this year that would have helped keep the district afloat.

The Human Cost of a Broken System

The numbers behind the decision tell a story of a community stretched to its limits. Hustisford covers 58 square miles but its student population has been shrinking, a common challenge for rural districts nationwide. At the same time, operational costs have continued to climb. The district’s leadership concluded it was on a path to a perpetual budget deficit, a reality made stark by state-imposed limits on property tax increases. This forced the School Board to make the painful choice to dissolve, an action it ordered after examining its long-term financial outlook.

Dodge County school district being dissolved

The Hustisford School District is a casualty of decades of an antiquated, broken school funding formula that has failed to keep pace with the costs of educating our children. This decision reflects the difficult choices that school districts and communities across Wisconsin are having to make as they are forced to do more with less due to a lack of support from the state.

Jill Underly, State Superintendent

Hustisford Superintendent Todd Bugnacki, who has 38 years in the business, called the moment “significant and emotional” for students, families, staff, and alumni. In a statement reported by WMTV15 News, Bugnacki expressed a deep sense of loss for the district’s legacy.

“The path leading to this decision has been difficult,” Bugnacki said. “Like many small, rural school districts across Wisconsin, Hustisford has faced ongoing financial pressures… It’s extremely sad to think that after 175 years of providing public education in the village of Hustisford, that is no longer.”

A New Beginning in Dodge County

While the end of Hustisford is a story of loss, for the students and families involved, the practical reality is a transition to a larger, more stable system. Dodgeland Superintendent Todd Greco has made it clear that his district’s responsibility is to ensure a smooth welcome. “Our responsibility is to help every student feel welcome and supported,” Greco told WPR. “That work began when we welcomed Hustisford students this fall, and it will remain our focus as we prepare to serve both communities as one district.”

The transition is already underway. Dodgeland schools have enrolled 150 Hustisford students this year and have hired an additional 10 staff members to support the influx. The district has confirmed it has enough capacity to accommodate all of Hustisford’s students, a crucial detail for families worried about their children’s educational future.

Hustisford School District to Dissolve After Financial Struggle
Photo: wmtv15news.com

A Rare, Troubling Precedent

Hustisford’s dissolution is a rare event in modern Wisconsin history. The last time a school district in the state vanished was in 1990, when the Ondossagon School District dissolved into the Ashland, Washburn, and Drummond School Districts. It has taken 36 years for this to happen again, showing the size of Hustisford's struggle and the special pressures facing small, rural districts today.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction confirmed the historical significance of the decision.

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