Borsuk: Etch A Sketch State Education Policy
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 9, 2015
Once again, Alan Borsuk’s column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel does not disappoint. In Saturday’s column, he discusses the Etch A Sketch nature of Wisconsin education policy development over the past several years. It’s Etch A Sketch time again.
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Wistax: School Revenues Under State Budget Proposal
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 6, 2015
?Check out this blog post on school revenues under the Walker state budget proposal produced by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (Wistax). This is valuable information for SAA members as you explain the impact of the budget proposal to your parents, community, media and legislators. Thanks Wistax!
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Public Schools Decry $127 Million Cut
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 5, 2015
See this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article by Erin Richards. The real story is getting out there.
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Walker, Fitzgerald Open to Increasing School Funding
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 4, 2015
From WisPolitics…
Gov. Scott Walker said today he’s open to increasing state funding to K-12 schools if state revenue estimates for 2015-2017 come in higher than expected.
“If there’s more money coming in, I’m for putting it towards K-12 education,” Walker said after meeting with employees at the Kriete Group in De Pere, one of several stops he’s making today to tout his two-year budget plan..
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said yesterday the Legislative Fiscal Bureau will re-estimate state revenues for 2015-17 this spring. If those numbers show increased tax revenues, Fitzgerald wants it earmarked for K-12 education.
“I’m open to working with the Legislature. No governor ever presents a budget and has it go through without changes,” Walker said.
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Walker Proposes $150 Per-Pupil Cut in First Year of Budget
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 4, 2015
???As the SAA continues wading through the K-12 education provisions in the governor’s biennial budget plan, I wanted to take time out and share a very brief summary of major issues? with you. The most important of these issues involves the per-pupil categorical aid. Although the governor indicated last night, and the media followed suit, that school revenues were essentially flat, his budget plan actually imposes a $150 cut in the per-pupil categorical aid in the first year of the biennium. This $150 per-pupil categorical aid was in the 2014-15 base and expected in each year of the 2015-17 biennium. Therefore, even though the governor proposes to add about a $165 per-pupil categorical in the second year of the biennium, the net result is a loss of approximately $135 per pupil over the biennium. What’s more, the $165 per-pupil in the second year is not base-building. It is essentially one-time money. But the biggest issue is the impact of that first year cut on your budget and your ability to provide high-quality educational opportunities for the children you serve.
Here is a summary of several other K-12 issues in the governor’s budget:
Revenue Limits
- No per-pupil adjustment in either year of the biennium.
General Aid
- No increase in the 1st year. $108 million increase in the 2nd year. All for property tax relief.
Per-Pupil Aid
- $150 per-pupil cut in 1st year. $165 per-pupil upper in 2nd year. $135 per-pupil reduction over the biennium. The 2nd year increase is not base-building.
School Levy Tax Credit
- $105.6 million increase in each year for property tax relief.
Rural Schools
- High cost transportation: $5 million increase over the biennium ($300/pupil).
- Sparsity aid: $8.4 million increase over the biennium
- TEACH 2.0: $25 million new
- Broadband expansion: $6 million increase (universal service fund).
- Whole grade sharing: Hold harmless, like consolidation aid.
Voucher Expansion
- Enrollment caps for schools and kids are removed.
- Beginning 2015-16, all new students in Racine and statewide programs are funded through a general aid deduction.
- General aid for those students deducted from school districts, pooled and divided by the number of voucher students to arrive at a per-pupil voucher payment.
- Public school preference for enrollment, income capped at 185% FRL. Private school students can enroll before kindergarten, 1st grade and 9th grade.
Assessments
- Smarter Balance eliminated and prohibited.
- DPI must choose a new test for 2015-16.
Accountability
- A-F Letter Grades.
- Multiple assessments.
Chapter 220
- Closed to new students, gradually phased out.
CESA State Aid
- State aid eliminated, school participation voluntary.
Alternative Teacher Licensure
- Bachelor’s degree
- Relevant experience
- Candidate must pass content assessment
- Successful candidate can teach all subjects in grades 6-12.
As we receive more definitive information regarding the impact of the budget plan on school districts, we will let you know. Stay tuned.
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