HELPING WISCONSIN SCHOOLS BUILD THE FUTURE
Community-Backed School Referenda Planning and Building What’s Next
From the first conversation about facility needs to the moment your students walk into new classrooms, C.D. Smith is with you every step of the way.
We help Wisconsin school districts navigate funding challenges, earn community trust and deliver learning environments where students and teachers thrive. We’re more than a builder. We're a partner. Because that's what it takes to turn tough funding realities into community-backed solutions.
📽️ VIDEO: How Wisconsin School Funding Works | K-12 Referendum Guide
Watch this short explainer video from the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) and the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO), in partnership with Captivate Media, to understand how state funding works and why many districts turn to referendums to maintain safe, modern schools.
Across the state, school leaders are being asked to do more with less. Aging buildings. Changing enrollment. New safety and technology needs. All colliding with limited state funding.
For many districts, a referendum is no longer optional. It’s the only way forward.
The process is never easy, but working together to find the right solution makes it worth the time invested. Success requires more than a facilities plan. It takes trust, transparency and a partner who understands both construction and communities.
That’s where we come in.
We don’t just build schools. We help build the support to make them possible. Our K-12 team works alongside your board, staff and community from the very start.
Together, we:
Form and guide a Facility Advisory Committee
Conduct assessments and budget planning
Engage the community with surveys, tours and listening sessions
Develop clear, relatable communications and tax impact visuals
Support your team all the way through the vote and beyond
📽️ Watch | VIDEO: How Wisconsin School Funding Works | K-12 Referendum Guide
📖 See how we helped Marinette School District right-size their learning spaces
Facility assessments and long-range planning
Budgeting and phasing strategies
Community engagement facilitation
Community survey coordination with trusted education research partners
Messaging and branding tailored to your community
FAQs, mailers, newsletters and tax impact graphics
Social media content and video production
Website updates and digital assets
Listening sessions and community events
Groundbreakings, signage and student involvement
Progress updates and safety communications
Ribbon cuttings and community celebrations
100+ school projects across Wisconsin
Deep roots in the communities we serve
Full-time communications team + in-house print shop
Self-perform trades for schedule, cost and quality control
Trusted by superintendents, school boards and taxpayers alike
“We felt we were in the best and most capable hands partnering with C.D. Smith. They supported us throughout and provided clear communication every step of the way.”
— Lisa Greene, Superintendent, Kohler School District
Beneath the Hard Hat® Blog: Navigating Complex Challenges and Generating Community Support
Beneath the Hard Hat® Blog: Building Modern Schools to Support Wisconsin Communities
📽️ Watch | VIDEO: How Wisconsin School Funding Works | K-12 Referendum Guide
What happens if a referendum doesn’t pass?
If a referendum fails, the district still has to address facility needs, often with short-term fixes or reduced scope. The setback can delay improvements for years and erode trust if the community feels unheard. That’s why we put so much focus on listening, transparency and trust-building up front. When communities clearly understand the “why,” they’re far more likely to support the “how.”
How long does the referendum process take?
From initial facility assessments to election day, most referendum journeys take 12–18 months. This allows time for community engagement, surveys, board approvals and clear communication before the vote. The construction timeline that follows depends on project scope, but we help districts phase work to minimize disruption and keep promises realistic.
Who should be involved in planning a school referendum?
Successful referendums are built on broad input. Typically, superintendents, business managers, board members, staff, parents and community representatives are part of a Facility Advisory Committee. This group reviews data, identifies priorities and helps ensure recommendations reflect the whole community’s voice, not just the district’s.
How do you build community trust during a referendum?
Trust starts with clear, relatable communication. We help districts translate technical facility and budget details into language that connects with everyday concerns—safety, student opportunity, taxpayer impact. Open houses, surveys, tours and newsletters keep the process transparent. The goal isn’t just passing a vote. It’s showing the community that their input shaped the outcome.
What makes C.D. Smith different from other referendum partners?
Many firms provide construction or pre-referendum services. At C.D. Smith, we combine both: a people-first approach to community engagement and a proven record of delivering on the promises voters approve. With over 100 school projects across Wisconsin, an in-house communications team and self-perform trades, we’re uniquely equipped to guide districts from the first conversation through ribbon-cutting.
Whether you’re just starting to explore a referendum or preparing for a community vote, we’re here to help. Let’s talk about your goals, your challenges, and how we can support your district at every step.
YOUR PROJECT. OUR PRIORITY.® | We'd love to hear from you and look forward to learning more for discovering how to build community by connecting you with integrated commercial construction expertise.
Discover more about our extensive experience building state-of-the-art educational facilities. Our work in educational construction includes group learning classrooms, open collaboration spaces, dedicated STEAM classrooms, maker spaces, art classrooms, lecture halls, music classrooms, learning resource centers, laboratories, aquaponics, performance centers, shop classrooms, innovation kitchens, fitness facilities, competition pools, gymnasiums, recreation centers and entire campuses.
K-12 schools and higher education campuses are more than physical buildings. They are complex environments that inspire learning. That's why we're building clean, safe, state-of-the-art educational facilities to support diverse learning experiences for students and educators. Explore our K-12 or higher education construction project experience using this link to the YOUR INDUSTRY: EDUCATION CONSTRUCTION pages.
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