Types of District Funds

The following listing of district related funds is courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as presented in the Wisconsin Uniform Financial Account Requirements (WUFAR). 

Fund 10 General Operating Fund

The general fund is used to account for all financial transactions relating to the district’s current operations, except for those required to be accounted for in other funds.

Fund 38 Non Referendum Approved Debt Service

This fund is used to account for transactions for the repayment of debt issues that were either: not authorized by school board resolution before August 12, 1993, or incurred without referendum approval after that date. A fund balance may exist in this fund.

Fund 39 Referendum Approved Debt Service

This fund is used to account for transactions for the repayment of debt issues that were either: authorized by school board resolution before August 12, 1993, or approved by referendum. The district may account for in such referendum approved debt service transactions in Funds 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37 (which are not presently assigned by DPI for reporting purposes) and/or Fund 39. If the district uses funds other than Fund 39, the district must combine and report these funds as Fund 39. A fund balance may exist in this fund.

Fund 80 Community Service Fund

This fund is used to account for activities such as adult education, community recreation programs such as evening swimming pool operation and softball leagues, elderly food service programs, non-special education preschool, day care services, and other programs which are not elementary and secondary educational programs but have the primary function of serving the community. Actual, additional expenditures for these activities, includes salaries, benefits, travel, purchased services, etc. are to be included in this Fund to the extent feasible. The district may adopt a separate tax levy for this Fund.

Other, Non Levy, Funds

Fund 21 Special Revenue Trust Fund

The fund is used to account for trust funds that can be used for district operations. The source of such funds is gifts and donations. Cash and investments in this fund are expended pursuant to donor specifications. There may be a fund balance in this fund.

Fund 27 Special Education Fund

The fund is used to account for the excess cost of providing special education and related services for students with disabilities during the regular school year or extended school year. Also included are charges for services provided to other districts as a result of being a host district for a special education package or cooperative program. School Age Parent costs are also charged to this Fund. No fund balance or deficit can exist in this fund.

Fund 46 Long Term Capital Improvement Trust Fund

A school board with an approved long-term capital improvement plan (minimum of 10 years) may establish a “trust” that is funded with a transfer from the general fund. The contribution from Fund 10 to Fund 46 (Long-term Capital Improvement Trust Fund) is recorded as the expenditure for shared cost and equalization aid purposes. Future expenditures from Fund 46 are not part of shared costs. A school board is prohibited from removing money deposited into Fund 46 for a period of five years after the fund is created. After the initial five year wait period is over, funds may only be used for the purposes identified in the approved long-term capital improvement plan. Fund 46 assets may not be transferred to any other school district fund.

Fund 50 Food Service Fund

Revenues and expenditures related to pupil and elderly food service activities are recorded in this fund. A fund balance in the Food Service Fund is permitted. There may be no deficit in the district’s Food Service Fund. Any food service fund deficit, resulting from student food services, must be eliminated by an operating transfer from the General Fund. Any food service fund deficit, resulting from elderly food services, must be eliminated by a transfer from the district’s Community Service Fund. The maximum that may be transferred if the district does not have a deficit in the Food Service Fund is limited to an amount necessary to cover a current year deficit in a particular food service program (National School Lunch, Breakfast, Ala Carte, etc.)

Fund 60 Student Activity Fund

This fund is used primarily to account for assets held by the district for pupil organizations. Funds held for parent organizations may be accounted for in this fund and are accounted for as a liability to the parent organization. Parent organization funds may be accounted for in Fund 60. The parent organization may not be a separate 501( c) (3) entity. Receipts such as pupil deposits for books, locks, etc; other receipts such as school lunch collections, athletic admissions and other fees may be temporarily deposited to agency fund checking accounts maintained at school locations until these items are remitted the district's business office for placement in required funds.

Only balance sheet accounts for this Fund are reported in the Budget and Annual Reports. However, auxiliary records of receipts and disbursements must be maintained in at locations administering the accounts. Pupil organizations accounted for in this fund may give money to the district. It is recorded as a gift in the receiving fund.

Fund 73 Employee Benefit Trust Fund

This fund is used to account for resources held in trust for formally established defined benefit pension plans, defined contribution plans, or employee benefit plans.  Such plans must be legally established in accordance with state statutes, federal laws and Internal Revenue Service requirements.  Specific requirements for use of this fund have been established by the Department of Public Instruction.  This fund applies to all post-employment benefit plans where the district is providing such benefits by contribution to a legally established irrevocable trust.