97 Percent of Districts Receive Less School Aid
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | October 14, 2011
The Department of Public Instruction’s general aid certification, released today, showed that 97 percent of the state’s public school districts (411 of 424) will receive less school aid for the 2011?12 school year than they did in the previous year. The median decrease in aid for districts was 9.98 percent. For more information, please see DPI’s News Release and the District-by-District Aid Distribution Table.
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Hunting for High School Credit?
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | October 12, 2011
The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 311 yesterday. AB-311 among other things, would require school boards to award 0.5 high school credit to a pupil who successfully completes the hunter education program, bow hunter education program, or the trapper education program. The DPI (see testimony), SAA, WASB and WEAC all expressed our opposition to this provision of the bill. The bill authors pledged during the hearing to amend the bill to make the school board’s granting of credit permissive as opposed to mandatory. Once that change is made we have agreed to remove our opposition to the bill.
For your convenience, the relevant portion of the bill (Section 18) begins on page 9, line 21.
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Walker Recall to Begin November 15th
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | October 11, 2011
From WisPolitics.com ..
State Dem Chair Mike Tate says efforts to recall Gov. Scott Walker will begin on Nov. 15, saying the party is now building the resources and the team needed to collect the required signatures.
Volunteers will have 60 days to collect 540,206 signatures, and Tate went on Ed Schultz’s cable show last night to say the party will shoot for more than 600,000 in its effort.
He also warned he believes Walker could raise $70 million to defend himself, adding this is “not going to be a cake walk.”
“We believe we can do this, and we believe it’s too important to wait,” Tate said, adding he expects a recall election in May or early spring. ”We simply can’t wait. We cannot afford any more days of Scott Walker as our governor.”
RPW Executive Director Stephan Thompson said he welcomed the effort, saying the guv has been focused on moving the economy forward and helping to create 250,000 private sector jobs.
“Wisconsin school districts and local municipalities have saved millions of taxpayer dollars thanks to the governor’s reforms, and we welcome and encourage a comparison between the positive results we’re seeing around the state and the failed policies of the past favored by those seeking a recall,” Thompson said.
Tate sent out an email to supporters last night announcing the news shortly before going on Schultz’s show.
In the email, Tate appealed for donations of $540,206 by Nov. 15; that’s $1 for each valid signature needed to finalize the recall.
Tate reminded supporters they have 37 days to organize and train the volunteers who will collect the recall signatures before the effort kicks off and wrote it will be a collaboration with United Wisconsin, which was created to organize a recall of Walker.
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School Choice Trailer Bill Clears Committee
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | October 6, 2011
In executive action immediately following yesterday’s public hearing, the Senate Education Committee recommended passage of Senate Bill 174, the School Choice Trailer Bill, by a vote of 5-1. Senator Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) was the lone dissenting voice on the committee. SB 174 would prohibit any school district which has not already qualified for the school choice program from qualifying after the effective date of the bill. So far, only Racine has qualified and opened its choice program earlier this school year. The bill would require lawmakers to vote on any further expansion of private school vouchers. The SAA strongly supports SB 174. Two school district administrators, Steve McNeal (Beloit) and Michelle Langenfeld (Green Bay) did an excellent job testifying in support of the bill.
The SAA will keep the membership informed of any significant developments regarding this important bill.
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AB 122 Clears Assembly Education Committee
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | October 5, 2011
In executive action yesterday, the Assembly Education Committee recommended passage of Assembly Bill 122 on a party line vote of 7-4. The bill permits an educational agency to refuse to employ or to terminate from employment an unpardoned felon. The bill awaits the scheduling of floor action by the full Assembly. The SAA supports AB 122.
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