Pepin Superintendent Contacts Legislators Re: Statutory Flexibility
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 12, 2020
I just have to share with you the appeal that Bruce Quinton, Superintendent at Pepin Area Schools, made to his legislators in response to the SAA’s Legislative Alert. See Bruce’s quick and direct appeal below:
I have attached the SAA Statutory Flexibility Agenda and ask that you support all items on this agenda to help schools successfully operate to the best of our ability this school year. I am asking that you demand your party’s leadership to hold an emergency session to move these items forward.
We are scheduled to start school on September 1, we need your help, now!
Thank you for listening and I would be happy to discuss specifics about each item with you personally.
Nice job Bruce! Many thanks!
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Priority Legislative Alert: Statutory Flexibility Agenda for the 2020-21 School Year
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 12, 2020
The SAA is issuing a Priority Legislative Alert on our Statutory Flexibility Agenda for the 2020-21 School Year.
Last Friday, WASDA Executive Director Jon Bales delivered a response to the letter some members of the Assembly Republican Caucus sent to Wisconsin superintendents at the end of July “encouraging” them to open their schools for in-person instruction. Bales’ response was directed to Speaker Robin Vos and copied to several other members of Assembly Republican leadership.
In the following paragraph from the letter, Bales asked Speaker Vos for his help in supporting temporary statutory flexibility for schools in several key policy areas.
“You are clearly interested in having students back in school for in-person instruction. Superintendents share that interest but have the responsibility to accomplish it in a way that minimizes the health risks to all involved to the greatest extent possible. If this is to happen effectively, it will not be done in a business-as-usual manner. Superintendents will need meaningful engagement of policymakers, beyond your expressed opinions and input. At this critical moment in the lives of Wisconsin children and parents, I am compelled to seek your help for school leaders to successfully tackle the unprecedented challenges they face as the beginning of school approaches. In addition to the obvious financial support needed, we will be seeking your support for temporary statutory flexibility in the following areas.”
Today, we are releasing the SAA’s Statutory Flexibility Agenda for the 2020-21 School Year, and we urge SAA members to contact their legislators in support of these urgent, common-sense proposals.
We fully recognize that getting our state lawmakers back into session to take up these proposals for the 2020-21 school year is a challenge that will require significant and persistent effort on our part. But, the operating flexibility these proposals would provide is vital for you to successfully tackle the unprecedented challenges you face as the beginning of school approaches.
We urge SAA members to take action now! Please contact your legislators and ask them to support the proposals in the Statutory Flexibility Agenda for the 2020-21 school year. Be sure to share with your legislators how these proposals would impact your district this fall.
For your convenience in contacting your legislators, we have provided links to the Assembly Directory, the Senate Directory and Who Are My Legislators.
If you have any questions about this Priority Alert, please call me at (608) 235-2757. As always, but especially now, thanks for all your efforts on behalf of the children you serve.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Early Literacy Symposia to Hold Second Session Today
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 12, 2020
The Legislative Council Symposia on Early Literacy Policies will hold its second session beginning at 2pm today, Wednesday, August 12th.
The Symposia Series on Early Literacy Policies will present information on how children learn to read, focusing on the research done by cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists, teacher preparation professionals, and early childhood developmental researchers. The Series will include presentations each Wednesday at 2pm through September 2nd. Today’s session will feature a presentation on How the Brain Learns to Read by Dr. Mark Seidenberg, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The SAA will monitor the proceedings of this symposia. Interested parties may live stream the symposia session on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk9ikyVdeIw.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
LFB: $243 Million Remaining of CARES Act Funding in Wisconsin
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 12, 2020
From The Wheeler Report . . .
A new memo from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau provides information on the allocation of the State’s $2.0 billion it received as part of the federal CARES Act. According to the memo, the Governor has announced initiatives which allocate $1.76 billion, leaving $243.7 million left.
When the CARES Act was signed into law in March, each state received a payment according to its share of the total US population, with a guarantee of $1.25 billion minimum payment. Wisconsin received a total of $2.26 billion, however under the Act three Wisconsin local governments (Dane County, and the City and County of Milwaukee) were eligible to directly receive $260 million of the total, leaving $2.0 billion for the state. The funds were received by the state in April.
DOA received the $2.0 billion and the funds were deposited to a DOA federal, all monies received appropriation which means all monies received can be expended without additional legislative authorization. In mid-May, Governor Evers began announcing several initiatives which would be funded with the State’s share of the CARES Act funding. According to the LFB memo, the Governor’s office has announced initiatives totaling $1.76 billion, which means approximately $243.7 million remains. That includes:
|
Use of Funds |
$ in millions |
|
Rental Assistance Program |
$25 |
|
Agricultural Supports – Food Insecurity Initiative |
15 |
|
Agricultural Supports – Farm Support Program |
50 |
|
Grants to Small Businesses |
75 |
|
Contact Tracing |
75 |
|
Assistance for Health Providers |
110 |
|
Medical Equipment Acquisition – Ventilators |
40 |
|
Medical Equipment Acquisition – PPE |
150 |
|
Direct Payments to Hospitals |
40 |
|
Higher Education Funding |
35 |
|
UW System Support – COVID-19 Testing |
32.3 |
|
Local Government Aid Grants |
190 |
|
Tribal Government Aid Grants |
10 |
|
Testing Program |
260 |
|
Hospital and Community Preparedness Reserve |
445 |
|
Agency Reimbursements |
200 |
|
National Guard Deployment Extension |
4 |
|
Total |
$1,756.3 |
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
WASDA Responds to Assembly GOP Letter to Superintendents
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 7, 2020
This morning, WASDA Executive Director Jon Bales delivered a response to the letter some members of the Assembly Republican Caucus sent to Wisconsin school superintendents on and around July 29, 2020. Bales’ response was addressed to Speaker Robin Vos and copied to several other members of Assembly Republican leadership. (Copies of Bales’ letter and the Assembly GOP letter are linked below).
Please note that near the end of Bales’ letter, he asked Speaker Vos for his help in supporting temporary statutory flexibility for schools in a variety of key policy areas. These urgent, time-sensitive proposals constitute the SAA’s common-sense statutory flexibility agenda for the 2020-21 school year.
The SAA will follow up with a legislative alert early next week encouraging members to advocate for this common-sense agenda with their legislators. As you know, time is of the essence.
As always, but especially right now, thanks for all your efforts on behalf of the kids you serve.
Assembly GOP Letter to Superintendents
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »