« SAA Budget Release | Home | Walker, Fitzgerald Open to Increasing School Funding »
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.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Comments are closed.