Special Needs Voucher Costs to Triple Next Year
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 12, 2018
Check out this news story from Annyssa Johnson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Special needs voucher costs are expected to triple next year. Quotes from Superintendents Driver and Myrah.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
JFC Unanimously Approves Amended AB 835/SB 690
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 9, 2018
From WisPolitics.com …
The Joint Finance Committee unanimously approved a plan to boost state aid for small, rural school by $6.5 million and allow low-spending districts to collect more in property taxes.
While members voted 16-0 for the bill, the debate became a series of exchanges over education funding since the end of Dem Gov. Jim Doyle’s term. There also were jabs on Foxconn and talk of unemployment rates.
Dems accused Republicans of making the largest cut to education funding in state history, coming up short on filling the hole and only embracing the sparsity aid package now because it’s an election year.
Republicans countered they gave schools tools through Act 10 to fill that first cut. They also said Doyle cut state aid and used one-time federal stimulus money to backfill it, and the GOP has had to clean it all up over the past seven years, including the largest increase in state aid in Wisconsin history.
Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, accused Dems of talking up their support for education, but falling short when given the opportunity to support the $636 million increase included in the 2017-19 budget. He said Dems should thank Republicans for the sparsity aid bill so they would have the opportunity to finally support education.
“You’re on record voting against public education in the last budget,” Olsen said.
Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, said Republicans should have invested even more in education when they had the chance.
The budget that cleared the Legislature included proposals similar to the provisions in today’s bill. But the guv vetoed the plan.
“It shouldn’t be about election-year politics; it should be about doing the right thing every time for our children,” she said.
Under the bill, the per-pupil sparsity aid payment would go up $100 to $400 starting in the 2018-19 school year. Districts with a maximum of 745 students with a population density of less than 10 per square mile would qualify.
Currently, low-revenue districts are capped at spending $9,100 per student between state aid and property taxes. The bill would boost that to $9,400 in the 2018-19 school year and then allow increases of $100 a year until hitting $9,800 in 2022-23.
Districts would not be eligible if their voters rejected a referendum to exceed spending caps in the previous three years, and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau identified nine districts that would not qualify because of that.
The JFC added an amendment that would allow those with a failed referendum to present another one to voters. If successful, they would then qualify.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates eligible districts could raise another $15.6 million through property taxes in 2018-19.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
JFC Holds Public Hearing Last Night, Will Exec AB 835/SB 690 Today
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 8, 2018
At a public hearing last night before the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), the SAA strongly supported SB 690 relating to increasing sparsity aid and the low revenue ceiling for school districts. The SAA also raised concerns about the “failed operating referendum” provision in the bill and expressed support for an ongoing effort to amend that language.
Hats off to Superintendents Bruggink (Oostburg), McNulty (Mukwonago), and Sievers (Slinger), as well as Oak Creek-Franklin Business Manager Andrew Chromy, for their outstanding testimony in support of the bill last night.
The JFC will reconvene today to exec several bills including AB 835/SB 690. We expect lop-sided and bipartisan passage of the bill by JFC. This action will generate significant momentum for ultimate passage of the bill in both houses.
SAA members are encouraged to contact their legislators again in support of the bill. Let’s get this important bill across the finish line. Stay tuned.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
SB 690 to Receive Hearing in JFC
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 6, 2018
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 690, relating to increasing sparsity aid and the low revenue ceiling for school districts, at 1:31pm on Wednesday, February 7th in Room 412 East, State Capitol.
If you should have any questions or need additional information, Please call the SAA office. Stay tuned.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Concurrent Enrollment Fix Moving in Capitol
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 2, 2018
Assembly Bill 805, the concurrent enrollment fix, cleared the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities yesterday on a unanimous 13-0 vote. Earlier today we reported that Senate Bill 677, the Senate companion, will receive a public hearing before the Senate Education Committee at 9:00am on Tuesday, February 6th in the State Capitol.
Stay tuned.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »