JFC Plans to Take Up K-12, Including ESSER III, on May 27
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 21, 2021
From WisPolitics.com . . .
The Joint Finance Committee will meet May 27 to take up K-12 funding and the UW System.
The two areas are among the biggest drivers of spending in the state budget and are often put off until the end of the Joint Finance process.
But the committee plans to take up school aids and revenue limits, as well as the voucher program.
Other areas on the May 27 agenda include the Wisconsin Technical College System and the Higher Educational Aids Board.
The committee also plans to meet in a 13.10 hearing May 27 to take up the Department of Public Instruction’s plans for a new round of federal COVID-19 stimulus funds for K-12 schools.
Ninety percent of the $1.5 billion in the third round of funding will be divided up among school districts based on a formula that accounts for the number of students in poverty. Another $108 million is earmarked to address learning loss, pay for summer learning and fund after-school programs.
DPI has proposed using the remaining money — $46.2 million — to ensure each district gets a minimum grant of $600,000 in the next round of grants and to cover administrative costs of handing out the money.
In February, DPI submitted a plan to JFC to distribute the second pot of COVID-19 federal funds to 172 districts. It was designed to ensure each district got a minimum grant of $395 per pupil. Joint Finance reworked a pot of $65 million to distribute it based on a formula that accounts for the hours of in-person instruction during the 2020-21 school year. Only the 172 districts that were eligible for the grants under the DPI proposal are able to qualify for the money under the JFC approach.
See the hearing notices:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/raw/cid/1617708
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/raw/cid/1617706
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
More Members Respond to SAA Budget Alert
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 20, 2021
Check out these letters in response to the SAA’s urgent State Budget Alert.
Time is of the essence, friends! Multiple Capitol sources indicate the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) plans to take up the K-12 education portion of the State Budget next Thursday, May 27th! We need your communications to your legislators in support of our shared budget priorities ASAP. The sooner the better.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Members Respond to SAA Budget Alert
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 19, 2021
Check out the letters to legislators from Superintendent Steve Lutzke (Parkview) and Tom Owens, Director of Business Services at Stevens Point. Hats off to Steve and Tom for their leadership!
Time is of the essence, friends! The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) could decide to take up the K-12 education portion of the State Budget at any time on very short notice. We need your communications to your legislators in support of our shared budget priorities ASAP. The sooner the better.
Many thanks for all your efforts on behalf of the children you serve.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Evers Calls Special Session on Medicaid Expansion
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 19, 2021
From WisPolitics.com …
— Gov. Tony Evers, rebuffed multiple times by Republican lawmakers over expanding Medicaid, today announced a special session to take up covering an additional 90,000 Wisconsinites through the program.
To up the pressure on GOP lawmakers, Evers announced $850 million in projects, including economic development work, he said would be covered by the additional $1 billion the expansion would draw. The rest of the money would go into the budget stabilization fund, he said.
During a news conference in Middleton, Evers signed an executive order calling the special session May 25. Evers can call a special session, but can’t force the Legislature to meet and take up the proposal.
Evers’ budget accounted for an additional $1.4 billion in federal money that would be generated over the biennium to help cover the costs of providing coverage for an additional 90,000 people. It also accounted for $634 million in general-purpose revenue savings over two years that would result from expansion.
Since Evers announced his budget, the federal government approved a COVID-19 relief package that included a $1 billion sweetener to encourage states like Wisconsin that haven’t expanded Medicaid to make the move.
The economic development projects Evers announced today would be covered by those one-time funds.
Today’s announcement comes after the GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee already rejected Evers’ call to expand the program and pulled it from the budget.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
State Budget Alert — Time is of the Essence!
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 18, 2021
This is the third, and likely final, State Budget Alert the SAA will issue to members on the 2021-23 State Budget. The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) began Executive Sessions (voting) on the State Budget on May 6th. We anticipate the JFC will take up the K-12 education portion of the budget the week of May 31st. Therefore, SAA members have about a 10-day window to deliver their final budget communications to their legislators. The sooner the better, friends!
I would like to thank all those SAA members that have already contacted their legislators regarding the SAA budget priorities. For those that have yet to communicate with their legislators, I urge you to do so now. I suggest that each district leadership team coordinate your district message on the budget behind the leadership of the superintendent and business manager. This budget is vitally important for your school district and the children you serve. It is critically important for members in all 421 districts to advocate for our shared budget priorities.
In the previous two budget alerts, I have asked you to focus your communications on JFC members. This time, I’m asking you to focus on your legislators. Ask them to stand up in their caucus meetings and support your schools and the children you serve.
In your communications, please cover the following:
- Discuss your district’s 2020-21 spending on COVID safety, technology, additional staffing, etc., and how you used your initial federal aid for these purposes. Also, share your plans for using additional one-time federal aid on your district’s student recovery efforts. Finally, make sure to explain that one-time federal aid is designed for COVID relief and recovery. Resources to support continuing educational opportunities for your students must come from the state budget process. Keep in mind that some legislators have openly expressed the opinion that, because of this one-time federal aid, public schools in Wisconsin don’t need ongoing support in the 2021-23 state budget.
- Express your strong support for the Governor’s proposal to increase the level of special education aid to reimburse 50 percent of aidable costs by the end of the 2021-23 biennium. First and foremost, this proposal will help us meet the ongoing needs of our most vulnerable students. Also, Wisconsin school districts collectively transfer about $1.15 billion annually from district general funds to cover the funding gap between required special education costs and current state funding. Explain your district’s “general fund to special education fund” annual transfer and how significant increases in special education aid can help meet the needs of all students in your district.
- Express your strong support for at least a $200 per pupil general revenue increase in each year of the biennium. Explain the importance of these increases in per pupil revenues in both fiscal and human terms. In particular, emphasize the impact on educational opportunities for the kids you serve.
- Express your strong support for comprehensive pupil count mitigation including: 1) Allowing districts to use the greater of the 2019-20 or 2020-21 pupil count for revenue limit calculations; 2) Increasing special adjustment aid from 85 percent to 90 percent of prior year general aid in each year of the biennium; and 3) Treating the non-recurring declining enrollment exemption and base revenue hold harmless as recurring adjustments for one year only. Be sure to explain your district’s projected fiscal impact of the pupil count decline and what that could mean for educational opportunities for the kids you serve.
- Express your strong support for the Governor’s $46.5 million proposed expansion of the School Mental Health Categorical Aid program to provide financial support for services provided by school psychologists, nurses, counselors and social workers.
- Express your strong support for setting the low revenue ceiling (LRC) at 90 percent of the statewide average maximum revenue limit per student. The current LRC amount of $10,000 is 87.3 percent of the current state average revenue limit of $11,450. A steadily improving LRC policy is an important part of ensuring equitable resources for all children no matter where they live.
- Express your strong support for the High-Cost Transportation proposal being advanced by Senator Felzkowski and Representative Mursau. This proposal would lower the aid threshold in the program from 145% of the statewide average per pupil transportation cost to the statewide average (100%). An additional $41 million annually would fully fund the proposal and positively impact 287 districts.
- Tell your district’s story. Your legislators need to hear it.
- Encourage your legislators to stand up for the children you serve, especially in their caucus meetings.
- Thank them for listening and for serving the citizens of Wisconsin.
Please forward your communications using the information discussed above to your legislators as soon as possible. Many SAA members prefer sending letters or emails to their legislators. Some members have found that their legislators prefer phone conversations. Both methods work great. All I ask is that you copy your written communications to the SAA so we can post them as examples for your colleagues.
I know many of you have already discussed these issues with your legislators, and I thank you. I also ask that you contact them again. For your convenience, I have provided links to the Senate Directory, the Assembly Directory and Who Are My Legislators.
Make no mistake about it. We have to fight hard for funding increases for public school children. Many legislators are pushing back against proposed increases to K-12 education. In particular, some legislators point to the one-time federal aid received by schools and contend that schools don’t need additional financial support in the state budget.
So, let’s stand up and fight for the needs of Wisconsin school children.
Thanks for your attention, and for all your efforts on behalf of the children you serve.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »