Referendum

• Purpose: Covers the "day-to-day" expenses necessary for educating students, often used to fill gaps caused by low state tuition support or declining enrollment.
• Use Cases: Hiring and retaining teachers, reducing class sizes, funding extracurriculars, transportation, and utilities.
• Key Distinction: This is the only type of referendum that can be used to increase teacher salaries.
• Duration: Lasts up to eight years, after which the district must ask voters for a renewal. 

An operating referendum provides additional local funding that supports smaller class sizes, student programming, teacher and staff pay, and critical services that state funding alone does not cover.

• Purpose: Finances large-scale, long-term physical infrastructure projects, specifically known as "controlled projects" when they exceed certain cost thresholds (e.g., $15.5M+).
• Use Cases: Constructing new schools, major facility renovations, HVAC replacements, roof repairs, or building additions.
• Key Distinction: Cannot be used for salaries or operational supplies; it is for permanent physical improvements.
• Approval Process: Requires a specialized "construction" or "capital" referendum question on the ballot. 

• Purpose: Funds specific initiatives to improve school security and student well-being, often used to address rising security concerns.
• Use Cases: Hiring School Resource Officers (SROs), purchasing metal detectors or security cameras, and employing mental health counselors or student advocates.
• Key Distinction: Similar to an operating referendum in that it pays for personnel, but strictly restricted to safety-related roles (e.g., security personnel, mental health therapists) rather than general classroom teachers.