The Waunakee Community School District budget committee on Dec. 1 recommended three actions on 4K policy: form a 4K task force, ask the full board to consider additional 4K open-enrollment seats in January 2026, and increase the district’s 4K stipend to $5,000 for the coming year.

Speaker 2 presented administrative recommendations asking the committee to consider (1) increasing the 4K stipend from $3,600 to $5,500, (2) requesting additional open-enrollment seats in January 2026, and (3) forming a 4K task force to prepare for the 2027–28 school year. The committee debated the fiscal impact of different stipend levels and reviewed continuation rates for recent cohorts (examples given: 68% and 77% in prior years). Speaker 3 noted 31 students are currently open-enrolled in 4K and that capacity could reach 81 if a planned Business Park site opens and other sites fill.

Several committee members voiced concern that a $5,500 stipend would create a planning deficit (Speaker 3 estimated the $5,500 scenario would increase the deficit by roughly $460,000 from the base), and that the partners had not provided detailed documentation supporting the higher figure. "We did receive an email from the 4Ks partners that... included a request for a $5,500 payment offer," Speaker 3 said; Speaker 5 and others pressed for a pathway that would limit district risk.

After discussion, the committee approved three recommendations to forward to the full board: form a 4K task force (motion by Speaker 4, seconded by Speaker 5; approved by voice vote), recommend additional 4K open-enrollment seats be considered by the board in January (motion and approval), and increase the stipend to $5,000 for next year (motion by Speaker 4; seconded; approved by voice vote). Several members said the committee’s recommendation should include a conditional pathway to increase the stipend to $5,500 in a future year if mutually agreed enrollment or performance targets are met.

The committee asked administration to prepare parameters for the conditional pathway and to return with targets and a clearer enrollment picture in January so the full board can act before the Feb. 1 partner deadline.