News Coverage on Voucher Revenue Cap Issue
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 11, 2016
Check out the news coverage on the Voucher Revenue Cap issue (AB 751 as amended) below:
Wisconsin State Journal: School Funding Proposal Faces Uncertain Future
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Schools Entering Statewide Voucher Program Swells by 67%
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Committee Advances Measure on Voucher School Funding
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Superintendents Speak Out Against Referendum Bill
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 11, 2016
In this news piece by Wisconsin Public Radio, Rhinelander Superintendent Kelli Jacobi and Superior Superintendent Janna Stevens speak out against the referendum bill. Nice job Kelli and Janna!
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Assembly Education Committee Passes Amended AB 751
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 10, 2016
This afternoon, at the Assembly Education Committee Executive Session, Committee members adopted Assembly Amendment 3 to Assembly Bill 751 on a 9-5 vote. The Committee then passed AB 751 as amended on a party line vote with Republicans voting to pass the bill.
While this is disappointing for the SAA and for all supporters of public schools and public school children, the result was not unexpected. The bill will now likely move on for an Assembly floor vote next Tuesday, February 16th. The SAA and others will now focus on trying to kill the bill in the Senate.
Many thanks to all SAA members who contacted legislators in opposition to AA 3. The SAA will keep the membership informed of further developments on this important legislation.
Stay tuned.
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Are Republican Leaders Planning to Break Their Word?
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 10, 2016
You have probably heard Assembly Republicans making the argument that Assembly Amendment 3 to Assembly Bill 751 makes school districts whole on the revenue cap 3 years after new voucher students enroll in the voucher program. I would like to make three points in response:
- By making this argument, proponents are acknowledging that there is a significant first-year problem for affected school districts. In fact, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) estimates the first-year loss in revenue cap authority under AA 3 would be $14.2 million spread across the 142 affected school districts. And this penalty is being imposed at a time when school revenue limits have been frozen for both years of the current state budget.
- Their argument is based on the LFB analysis of one cohort of voucher students. But, a new and likely larger cohort of voucher students enrolls in the voucher program in 2016-17; another and likely larger group in 2017-18; and so on. The bottom line is affected school districts will likely face a significant first year problem year after year.
- Finally, during the 2015-17 state budget process, Republican leaders pledged that they would dramatically increase the use of private school vouchers without adversely impacting educational opportunities for public school children. Given the on-going first year impact of AA 3, if adopted, you have to ask, “Are they planning to break their word?”
Stay tuned.
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LFB Memo on New Amendment: $14.2 Million Cut to 142 Districts
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 9, 2016
Late this afternoon, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) issued a memo detailing the fiscal impact of Assembly Amendment 3 (the new amendment) to AB 751 on the 142 school districts impacted by the Racine and Wisconsin Parental Choice Programs. The LFB estimates the loss under the amendment to be $14.2 million spread across the 142 districts.
We believe that the Assembly Education Committee plans to adopt AA 3 and pass the amended AB 751 tomorrow in executive session. Assembly leadership will likely have the amended bill on the Assembly floor for a vote on Thursday.
Once again, here is the bottom line on Assembly Amendment 3: if your district has resident students in the statewide or Racine voucher programs, under this amendment, you will lose revenue limit authority and you will likely have to pay for your voucher students by reducing educational opportunities for the children that remain in your district. We strongly oppose these efforts and urge you to keep the pressure on state lawmakers.
Stay tuned.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »