HARTLAND, Wis. (CBS 58) -- One year after voters rejected a multi-million referendum, the Arrowhead School District is now considering cuts to its staff to balance its budget.

It's still unclear how many teachers may lose their jobs at Arrowhead Union High School.

“Seen a lot of things go through the school system,” said longtime Hartland resident Duane Zigen, who graduated from the Arrowhead School District.

The proposed cuts come one year after voters rejected a $136.2 million referendum last year. In 2024, voters rejected a nearly $261 million plan.

“If we don’t have good public schools, we got nothing,” said Hartland resident Kathleen Rosenheimer. "When they came with the first very expensive referendum, I think it was too high a price tag and people couldn’t really understand the level of spend and when they came back with the second referendum, which also failed, I feel like people didn’t really understand how dire the need was for facilities, and teachers and so forth.”

Some people in Hartland say while the cuts are unfortunate, finding balance within the budget is necessary for the school to keep operating.

“They just have to learn to do without. Everybody has things they have to redo and relearn; it’s just part of the growing game around here,” said Zigen.

During the 2025 referendum, the district stated its enrollment could decline because of aging facilities, but some residents say the make-up of the district is changing as well.

“People’s kids all grow up and leave. This little subdivision that I live in have rolled over three or four times in my lifetime,” said Zigen.

We reached out to the Arrowhead School District but were told the district has “no comments at this time.”

“The infrastructure is so aged, the pool doesn’t even hold water anymore,” said Rosenheimer.

Others say they’re disappointed about the cuts and want to see continued investment in schools.

“I feel terrible about it. I feel badly for the kids, the teachers, kinda for the future of our community,” said Rosenheimer.

The next school board meeting will be in May.