Reminder: SAA Has a Secure Online PAC Contribution Option
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | March 9, 2022
As you probably noticed, the SAA “kicked off” its 2022 SAA PAC campaign last week. As the 2021-22 Legislative Session grinds to a close and our attention begins to shift to the 2022 elections, several SAA members have asked, “What is the easiest way to make a contribution to the SAA Political Action Committee (SAA PAC)”.
This is just a reminder to all SAA members that the SAA has developed a secure, online credit card option for your SAA PAC contributions. The option has been available for several years and was created at the suggestion of SAA members.
If you are interested in making a contribution, please go to the Donate Now button on the left-hand side of our home page.
For more information on SAA PAC, please see SAA PAC Frequently Asked Questions and The “Why” Behind SAA PAC.
Please note, the Wisconsin Elections Commission advises members to make online contributions from a personal electronic device and not on school servers!
Thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of Wisconsin school children. If you have any questions, please contact the SAA by email or by phone (608) 242-1370.
Paid for by SAA Political Action Committee, Beth Holznagel, Treasurer.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Split Supreme Court Adopts Evers’ Redistricting Maps
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | March 3, 2022
From WisPolitics.com …A split state Supreme Court today adopted Gov. Tony Evers’ maps for Wisconsin’s legislative and congressional boundaries, finding they most closely followed the directive to take a “least-change” approach to the existing lines Republicans drew a decade ago.The ruling is a significant victory for Dems.Evers’ maps include five districts that have typically voted Republican in recent elections and three Dem seats. Former President Trump won six of the districts in 2020.His Assembly map includes 55 GOP seats and 44 Dem districts, while Trump won 62 in 2020.And his Senate map includes 20 GOP seats and 13 Dem districts. Trump won 22 seats in 2020.Writing for the majority, Hagedorn wrote that Evers’ map “easily scores highest” in complying with the court’s requirement that new lines follow the least-change approach.He wrote the same about Evers’ legislative maps.“No other proposal comes close,” Hagedorn wrote.Hagedorn was joined in the majority by the court’s three liberals: Ann Walsh Bradley, Rebecca Dallett and Jill Karofsky.Read the decision here.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
The Stakes In the 2022 Elections Are Enormous
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | March 3, 2022
As the 2021-22 Legislative Session grinds to its conclusion, I can’t help thinking that we have just struggled through the worst legislative session for public education in my lifetime.
Consider the following developments from this session:
- Lawmakers froze school revenue caps and forced Wisconsin school districts to redirect one-time federal COVID relief funding to pay for ongoing school operations.
- Lawmakers provided very little help for schools as we navigated the unpredictable challenges posed by the pandemic.
- Lawmakers continued to advance legislation adding more K-12 instructional requirements, testing and reporting…during the pandemic!
- Lawmakers again attempted to restrict a community’s ability to go to referendum in support of educational opportunities for children.
- Lawmakers tried to impose unrestricted voucher expansion and a “Parental Bill of Rights” that legal experts concluded would “make it extremely difficult to manage and deliver a successful education to all students”.
School leaders throughout Wisconsin are focusing more and more on how their district can weather the fiscal impact of frozen 2021-23 revenue caps, the impending ESSER fiscal cliff, and inflation rising at a rate of 4.7% or more. And, as we digest new reports showing that Wisconsin has fallen further below the national average in per-pupil spending, we wonder how our lawmakers will address these K-12 fiscal challenges in the 2023-25 state budget.
One thing is for certain. The stakes in the 2022 elections are enormous. After the elections, anti-public education forces will once again seek to deny school districts the state budget funds necessary to meet student needs.
I want to thank you all for building and strengthening your relationships with your legislators to advocate more effectively on behalf of the children you serve. But, we have a lot more work to do. Our first job is to help elect and re-elect “friends of public education” in the 2022 elections. Vital resources for Wisconsin school children hang in the balance.
Support for SAA PAC is critical to our continued efforts to stand up for children in the State Capitol. If you are interested in supporting SAA PAC, simply click here to make a secure, online donation or mail your check to: SAA PAC, 4797 Hayes Road, Madison, WI 53704.
For more information on SAA PAC, please see SAA PAC Frequently Asked Questions and The “Why” Behind SAA PAC.
Please note, the Wisconsin Elections Commission advises SAA members to make online donations from a personal device and not on school servers.
Thank you for your support and for your continued efforts on behalf of the children you serve. If you have any questions, please contact me at (608) 242-1370 or john.forester@wsaa.org.
Paid for by the School Administrators Alliance Political Action Committee, Beth Holznagel, Treasurer. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s agent or committee.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Hintz Will Not Seek Reelection
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | March 3, 2022
From WisPolitics.com …State Rep. Gordon Hintz, who stepped down as Assembly Minority Leader earlier this year, announced he won’t seek reelection to the chamber this fall.The Oshkosh Democrat, first elected to the Assembly in 2006, is the 12th member of the chamber to announce they will either retire or seek another office.Those retiring are: Mike Kuglitsch, R-New Berlin; Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna; Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac; Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel; and Beth Meyers, D-Bayfield.Those seeking another office are: David Bowen, D-Milwaukee; Jesse James, R-Altoona; Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton; Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton; Tim Ramthun, R-Campbellsport; Sara Rodriguez, D-Brookfield;Also, Rep, Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem, is running for Kenosha County exec on the April ballot. She would have to resign if she wins the seat.See Hintz’s release here.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
School Law FYI: Upcoming Deadlines for Renewal and Nonrenewal of Individual Teacher Contracts
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | March 2, 2022
From the Legal Side…
In its most recent School Law FYI, the BoardmanClark Law Firm addresses some of the issues that should be considered during the renewal and nonrenewal process.
The SAA regularly receives these legal updates and we believe this is valuable information for SAA members. We are distributing this update to SAA members with the permission of the BoardmanClark Law Firm. The information in this update is no substitute for consulting with your district legal counsel, and we encourage you to do so.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update, SAA Legal Side | No Comments »