Residents in the Palmyra-Eagle School District in southeastern Wisconsin voted Tuesday, 11/5 in support of dissolving their school district, according to preliminary results of an advisory referendum.  The vote was 1,218 in support of the district’s dissolution and 1,080 against. The vote was advisory and was placed on the ballot by citizens per a petition.

The school board voted in July to dissolve the 769-student district after an April referendum to increase the district’s operating revenue failed.

The School District Boundary Appeal Board (SDBAB) will make a final decision on whether to dissolve the district by January 15. The SDBAB’s first session will take place Thursday, Nov. 7. There is a meeting and orientation that day starting at 2 p.m. at Palmyra-Eagle High School and a public hearing in the gym from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. There will also be public hearings on Nov. 14 and 21.

Public school enrollment is declining in most Wisconsin districts, but in Palmyra-Eagle, it has declined more than 35 percent since 2007.

If the Palmyra-Eagle Area School District is dissolved, its students would be assigned to other area districts. Whitewater is among the possible districts, and the WUSD administration and school board have already begun discussions on that eventuality.