Statewide Voucher Expansion Costs
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 4, 2013
SAA Members – see the memo below from Jennifer Kammerud and contact me with any questions. The attached documents are linked. Thank you.
To: Senate and Assembly Members
From: Jennifer Kammerud, Legislative Liaison, DPI
Date: June 4, 2013
Re: Statewide Voucher Expansion Costs
I have attached a memo (PDF document) from State Superintendent Tony Evers regarding the cost implications of expanding vouchers statewide. Along with this memo is an Excel file that shows the projected voucher costs using three different scenarios. There are three worksheets in this file which shows these costs by 1) school district, 2) Assembly District, and 3) Senate District. School districts by Assembly and Senate District were provided to the department by the Government Accountability Board.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Video Legislative Alert – Your Response Needed ASAP
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 31, 2013
Please watch this important 90-second video alert. This is a Legislative Alert of the highest priority on the issue of statewide voucher expansion.
I urge every single SAA member to contact your legislators ASAP and implore them to remove voucher expansion from the state budget.
For your convenience, I have provided links to the Senate Directory, the Assembly Directory as well as Who Are My Legislators.
Thank you.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update, SAA Video Alerts | No Comments »
Response to Proposed Statewide Voucher Expansion
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 31, 2013
I’m sure that all of you have heard reports of a compromise agreement on voucher expansion, school funding, special needs vouchers, charter school expansion and other issues. The SAA had been waiting for a more definitive statement or news advisory from the Governor and legislative leaders that was anticipated for yesterday afternoon — a statement that did not come. Apparently, the definitive statement will not come until perhaps Monday, as details of the plan are still being ironed out. However, the agreed-upon highlights of the proposal are reported in this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.
The SAA is extremely disappointed to learn that this agreement will reportedly expand private school vouchers statewide. Please see the SAA’s news release in response.
State Superintendent Evers has called on all supporters of public education to contact their legislators in opposition to statewide voucher expansion. The SAA joins the State Superintendent in his efforts and calls on all SAA members to contact their legislators in opposition to statewide voucher expansion.
The SAA is pleased that the proposal reportedly removes the special needs voucher provision as well as all charter school provisions from the budget bill. We are also pleased that the proposal guarantees public schools a $150 revenue cap per pupil increase in each year of the biennium, even though we believe the fiscal challenges facing school districts as well as the state’s improving revenue situation warrants a larger per pupil increase for schools.
The SAA is very grateful to all the elected officials that have stood tall in support of Wisconsin public school children during this budget session. We look forward to working with them in the future as we continue to fight against voucher expansion.
The SAA will monitor developments on these and other issues as the Joint Finance Committee prepares to take up the remaining budget issues, including K-12, on Tuesday. We will keep the membership apprised of new developments as we receive definitive information.
Thank you for your attention. And thank you for all your efforts on behalf of Wisconsin school children.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
JFC Tweaks “Double-Dipping” Provision
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 29, 2013
The committee voted 12-4 to tweak the double dipping provision it added to the budget last week to change the standard for teachers and university faculty.
The original motion approved May 21 would prohibit public employees who retire but then accept another government job from collecting a pension if they work at least 1,392 hours in the new job. That threshhold was slightly higher than the one the guv advocated in his budget.
The motion approved today lowers that threshhold to 1,044 hours for teachers and administrative staff, as well as university instructional faculty, academic staff and administrators.
Last week, Co-chair John Nygren touted the 1,392 hour limit for teachers, saying they could almost work a full school year and still be under the limit.
Pressed on the switch by Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, Nygren said the change was made to make sure the limit is consistent for all public employees.
“They still have that flexibility,” said Nygren, R-Marinette. “But this is a consistency issue from one class of employee to another.”
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Ellis: “We’re at Impasse” on Vouchers
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 29, 2013
Senator Ellis said that a two-hour meeting with Governor Scott Walker and GOP legislative leaders ended in an impasse on vouchers yesterday. It appears that most of the K-12 items on today’s Joint Finance Committee agenda will not be taken up as planned and additional negotiations will take place to try and come to agreement on private school vouchers, charter schools, school funding and other issues. The SAA will keep you informed of any relevant developments.
In the meantime, keep contacting your legislators in support of the SAA position. Thanks for all your efforts in support of the children you serve.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »