Madison School District meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Madison School Board agenda includes $86.2M in interim bills; renaming committees to vote this week

The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education's July 27 agenda included a vote on $86.2 million in interim bills, the largest single item among recent meetings. Minutes from that meeting and others held in the past two weeks have not yet been published, so outcomes are pending.

Board agenda: $86.2 million in interim bills and more

The board's July 27 regular meeting consent agenda included:

• $86,246,627.50 in interim bills for June 9–July 13, 2026
• $3,812,237.39 in referendum invoices from Fund 49 bond proceeds
• $322,387.00 blanket purchase order to Follett Content Solutions, LLC for library materials

The agenda also included resolutions supporting state school funding and greater property tax transparency, and a Disability Pride Month proclamation. No vote results are available because minutes have not been published.

Special workshop on staff-student misconduct policy

Also on July 27, the board held a special workshop to discuss a proposed policy on notifying parents of alleged sexual misconduct and reporting inappropriate staff/student relationships, as required by Acts 57, 88, and 89. The agenda included votes to approve minutes from April 20 and June 15, 2026 special meetings. Outcomes are not yet known.

School renaming efforts

A public hearing on renaming Lindbergh Elementary School was held July 30, with time for oral and written testimony. Citizens' ad hoc committees met in early August to set procedures and review comments:

• On Aug. 4, the Elvehjem Elementary renaming committee approved minutes from July 14 and July 23, established a written statement submission window (Friday noon–Monday 3 p.m.), and set a 3-minute limit for public speakers. No renaming decision was made.
• On Aug. 5, the Chavez Elementary renaming committee discussed public hearing feedback and had minutes from July 22 and July 30 on its agenda.
• Also on Aug. 5, the Lindbergh Elementary renaming committee discussed public comments and had minutes from July 15 and July 23 on its agenda.

All three committees are scheduled to hold final votes on recommendations to the board this week.

Instruction Work Group

The Instruction Work Group met Aug. 3 to discuss summer 2025–26 programming highlights, Freedom Schools, and a draft scope for the 2026–27 school year. The agenda included approval of minutes from June 1, 2026.

Coming up

• **Aug. 10 (today):** Operations Work Group — discussion only on facilities referendum update, 2025-26 unaudited Fund 10 balance, 2026-27 preliminary budget, and group scope. No final decisions scheduled.
• **Aug. 11:** Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee on renaming Elvehjem Elementary — final vote on recommendations to the board.
• **Aug. 12:** Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee on renaming Lindbergh Elementary — final vote on recommendations to the board.

Madison School Board faced $86.2M in interim bills; renaming hearings continue across three elementary schools

The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education was scheduled July 27 to consider $86,246,627.50 in interim bills covering June 9–July 13, 2026, along with $3,812,237.39 in referendum invoices from Fund 49 bond proceeds and a $322,387.00 blanket purchase order to Follett Content Solutions, LLC for library materials. Minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so the outcomes of those votes are not confirmed.

Board meeting agenda also included policy resolutions

The July 27 regular meeting agenda listed two resolutions for board action: a Resolution in Support of Fund Wisconsin Public Schools and a Resolution Supporting Greater Property Tax Transparency for Madison and Dane County Taxpayers. The board was also scheduled to adopt a Disability Pride Month proclamation. Because minutes are not yet available, it is not confirmed which items passed.

Special workshop on staff-student misconduct notification

Also on July 27, the board held a special open-session workshop to discuss a proposed policy on notifying parents of alleged sexual misconduct and reporting inappropriate staff-student relationships, as required by Acts 57, 88, and 89. The agenda included motions to approve minutes from April 20, 2026 and June 15, 2026 special meetings. Minutes for this workshop are not yet published.

Board retreat cancelled

A Board of Education retreat scheduled for July 24, 2026 was cancelled. No discussions or decisions occurred.

Renaming hearings for three elementary schools

The district held or scheduled multiple public hearings on renaming Chavez, Elvehjem, and Lindbergh elementary schools. All were conducted virtually via Zoom.

• **Chavez Elementary:** The Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee met July 22 to continue scoring renaming proposals and finalize a list of name options for a public hearing. No renaming decision was made. A public hearing was scheduled for July 30.
• **Elvehjem Elementary:** A public hearing was scheduled for July 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Written statements were accepted online from noon July 10 to 3 p.m. July 13 via the BoardDocs portal. Speakers were limited to 3 minutes each. No decisions were to be made; input will inform future board action.
• **Lindbergh Elementary:** A public hearing was held to gather community input on renaming. Written statements were accepted July 10–13, and oral registrations opened 30 minutes before the meeting with a 3-minute limit per speaker. The meeting was recorded and posted on YouTube. All statements become part of the permanent record.

All three renaming processes remain in the input-gathering stage. No final renaming decisions have been made.

Coming up

• **Aug. 3 — Instruction Work Group:** Reviews summer 2025–26 programming highlights, Freedom Schools, and a draft 2026–27 scope.
• **Aug. 4 — Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee (Elvehjem):** Set rules for public input, including a written statement window (Friday noon to Monday 3 p.m.) and a 3-minute speaker limit.
• **Aug. 5 — Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee (Lindbergh):** Reviews public hearing feedback and comments received to date; votes on approving July 15 and July 23 minutes.
• **Aug. 5 — Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee (Chavez):** Reviews public hearing feedback and comments; votes on approving July 22 and July 30 minutes.

All recent meeting minutes are pending publication. Residents can verify outcomes through the district's BoardDocs portal once minutes are posted.

School renaming committees advance name lists; public hearings set for Elvehjem and Lindbergh

Three Madison Metropolitan School District citizens' committees met last week to narrow lists of potential replacement names for Elvehjem, Lindbergh, and Chavez elementary schools. All three sessions were agenda-only meetings whose minutes have not yet been published, so no confirmed votes or outcomes are available beyond what the agendas describe.

Elvehjem Elementary renaming committee

On July 14, 2026, the Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee relative to Renaming Elvehjem Elementary School was scheduled to review scoring criteria and finalize a list of potential names for presentation at a public hearing. The agenda also included accepting public written statements and approving minutes from the committee's June 30, 2026 meeting. Board Policy 6700 was referenced in the finalization process. Minutes have not yet been published.

Lindbergh Elementary renaming committee

On July 15, 2026, the Lindbergh renaming committee was scheduled to review scoring of potential names and finalize a list for a public hearing, also under Board Policy 6700. The agenda called for a vote on approving minutes from July 1, 2026. Public input was accepted through written statements, due by 3 p.m. on July 13, and oral registrations at the meeting. Minutes have not yet been published.

Chavez Elementary renaming committee

Also on July 15, 2026, the Chavez renaming committee was scheduled to review scores for Batch #1 (names 1–35) and continue scoring Batch #2 of potential new names. The agenda included approval of minutes dated July 1, 2026 and outlined procedures for written statements and virtual speaker registration. No final renaming decision was scheduled; the agenda described the session as discussion and scoring only. Minutes have not yet been published.

What this means for residents

The committees are working through Board Policy 6700 to narrow candidate names before the School Board holds public hearings. Because minutes from all three recent meetings remain unpublished, the specific names advanced to each hearing are not yet confirmed in the public record. Residents who want to weigh in will have opportunities at upcoming hearings.

Coming up

• **July 22, 2026** — Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee relative to Renaming Chavez Elementary School. Agenda items include approving July 15 minutes, continuing scoring of renaming proposals, and finalizing the list of name options for a public hearing. No final renaming decision is scheduled.

• **July 23, 2026** — Public Hearing on renaming Elvehjem Elementary School. The hearing is listed for July 23; the agenda summary also references a July 16 date and 6:00 p.m. start, a discrepancy in the source materials. Written statements were accepted online from noon July 10 through 3 p.m. July 13 via the BoardDocs portal. Oral registrations open 15 minutes before the meeting, with each speaker limited to three minutes. No decisions will be made; input will be retained in the official record.

• **July 23, 2026** — Public Hearing on renaming Lindbergh Elementary School. Written statements were accepted from noon July 10 to 3 p.m. July 13 via the district's naming process webpage. Oral registrations open 30 minutes before the meeting, with speakers limited to three minutes each. The meeting is conducted virtually via Zoom and recorded for posting on YouTube. All statements become part of the permanent meeting record. No decisions will be made at this hearing.

School renaming committees advance name reviews for Elvehjem, Lindbergh, and Chavez elementaries

Three citizens' ad hoc committees in the Madison Metropolitan School District are working through proposed replacement names for Elvehjem, Lindbergh, and Chavez elementary schools. All three met in recent days, though minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions, so outcomes and any votes cannot be confirmed from the available records.

Elvehjem Elementary committee reviews first 28 names

On June 30, the Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee relative to Renaming Elvehjem Elementary School was scheduled to review its first batch of 28 proposed names against background dossiers and public comments. The agenda indicated the chair would execute what are described as "low-tier purges" under Board Policy 6700, a process for narrowing the candidate list. The committee was also set to approve minutes from its June 23, 2026 meeting and hold a public input period for written and oral statements.

The agenda noted that no final decisions were expected at this meeting. The chair was also scheduled to remind members of remaining batch assignments covering names 29 through 55.

Lindbergh Elementary committee takes up first 26 names

On July 1, the renaming committee for Lindbergh Elementary School was scheduled to review its first batch of 26 proposed names against candidate dossiers and public comments. As with the Elvehjem committee, the chair was set to execute low-tier purges under Board Policy 6700.

The agenda included approval of minutes from the committee's June 24, 2026 meeting and a public input period accepting both written statements and oral registrations. The chair was also scheduled to remind the committee of remaining batch assignments covering names 26 through 51.

Chavez Elementary committee holds first meeting

Also on July 1, the newly formed committee to rename Chavez Elementary School held its first meeting. The agenda called for an orientation session, a review of the Board Policy 6700 criteria for school renaming, and an examination of initial renaming proposals. The chair was scheduled to assign the first batch of 35 proposed names for committee review.

The agenda noted that initial renaming proposals and collected public comments had been submitted via the Elvehjem Elementary renaming website. Public input was to be taken through written statements and oral registrations, with speakers limited to three minutes each.

What is Board Policy 6700?

Board Policy 6700 is the district's framework referenced across all three committees for evaluating and narrowing proposed school names. The agendas describe a process in which the committee chair executes "low-tier purges" — a step that removes certain candidates from consideration — before remaining names advance through further review. The specific criteria and thresholds under the policy were not detailed in the available agenda materials.

What residents should know

All three renaming processes are ongoing, and no final name selections have been recorded in the available documents. Because minutes have not yet been published for any of the three meetings, it is not possible to confirm which names were advanced, purged, or discussed in detail. Residents interested in submitting input should watch for public input periods at future committee meetings.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings within the next 14 days were listed in the available district records. Residents should check the Madison Metropolitan School District website for future committee meeting postings as the renaming processes continue.

Madison school board set to act on $989 million budget; three renaming committees advance

The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education was scheduled to vote June 22 on adopting a 2026–2027 preliminary budget totaling $989,102,432, including a tax levy of $519,246,430. Minutes from that meeting and all others covered here have not yet been published, so outcomes cannot be confirmed. The following roundup reflects what each agenda listed.

Budget and wireless device policies

The June 22 regular board meeting agenda called for a vote on the 2026–2027 preliminary budget adoption at $989,102,432, with a tax levy of $519,246,430. A public hearing on the preliminary budget was also scheduled.

The board was also set to act on Policy 4403 (Possession of Wireless Communication Device) and a new Policy 4404 (Wireless Communication Devices in Schools). The agenda noted 53 written statements submitted on the wireless device policy and that public input strongly supported an "away-all-day" device policy.

Additional agenda items included reports on a facilities referendum update, a compensation review, and a Safe Routes to School strategic plan, plus discussion of the Food & Nutrition Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

Board retreat: Behavior Education Plan and future planning

A June 25 board retreat agenda listed discussion of the Behavior Education Plan review, covering its history, application, stakeholder feedback, data analysis, and next steps. The retreat also included information and discussion items on "Building for the Future" (with presentation slides), the Operations Work Group scope and sequence, and committee assignments. Approval of minutes from the May 22, 2026 retreat was also on the agenda.

Elvehjem Elementary renaming committee

The Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee relative to renaming Elvehjem Elementary School met twice during this period. The June 23 agenda listed review of initial naming proposals and public comments, calibration of scoring criteria under Board Policy 6700, and the chair's assignment of Batches 1 and 2 (names 1–40) for committee review.

The June 30 agenda called for review of Batch 1 (names 1–28) against background dossiers and public comments, with the chair executing low-tier purges per Board Policy 6700. The agenda noted remaining batch assignments covering names 29–55 and stated no final decisions were expected at that meeting. Both meetings included public input periods and approval of prior minutes.

Lindbergh Elementary renaming committee

The Lindbergh renaming committee's June 24 agenda listed review of initial proposals and public comments, calibration of scoring alongside research information, and assignment of Name Batches 1 and 2 (names 1–40).

On July 1, the committee was scheduled to review Batch 1 (names 1–26) against candidate dossiers and public comments, with the chair executing low-tier purges under Board Policy 6700. The agenda noted remaining batch assignments covering names 26–51.

Chavez Elementary renaming committee begins

The July 1 meeting was listed as the first meeting of the Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee relative to renaming Chavez Elementary School. The agenda included orientation, review of Board Policy 6700 criteria, examination of initial renaming proposals and public comments, and the chair's assignment of Batch 1 (names 1–35) for committee review. Public input was accepted via written statements and oral registrations, with three minutes per speaker.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should watch the district's meeting calendar for newly posted agendas and for publication of minutes from the June and July meetings described above, which will confirm what was actually decided.