by Dan Rossmiller | Oct 14, 2022 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
The State of Wisconsin ended its Fiscal Year on June 30, 2022, with a record positive balance of $4.30 billion, according to the new state Annual Fiscal Report released today by the state Department of Administration. That report also confirms that Wisconsin has a record $1.73 billion in its Budget Stabilization Fund (a/k/a “Rainy Day” Fund).
New data shows state income and sales tax collections grew faster than expected in FY2022, propelling the state’s general fund surplus to never-before-seen levels. Taxes flowing into Wisconsin’s general fund grew by 5 percent over the previous year (or just under $1 Billion). In January 2022, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau had projected general fund tax collections, which come principally from income and sales taxes, would fall by 3.2 percent. (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Oct 14, 2022 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
The Department of Public Instruction today released certified state general school aid amounts that each school district will receive during the current (2022-23) school year. By law, the DPI must certify these aid amounts by Oct. 15 each year.
General school aids are the largest form of state support for PreK-12 schools in Wisconsin and are based student counts and year-end financial data from the prior school year (i.e., 2021-22). The bulk of general school aids comes in the form of equalization aid, which is distributed according to a formula that takes into account local differences in property wealth per pupil.
Although the overall amount of general aid being distributed is higher than last year, because the way the equalization aid formula affects the distribution of general aid, not all districts will share equally. Of the 421 public school districts in Wisconsin, 295 will receive more aid than last year (70 percent); 121 will receive less (29 percent). (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Oct 14, 2022 | Election, Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue, Uncategorized
There will be 42 school district referenda on the Nov. 8 ballot seeking authority to increase revenue limit authority. That is in addition to the 50 such questions that have already gone before school district voters this year. We believe the 92 referendums seeking additional operating revenues is the highest total ever in a single calendar year. The highest previous total in a calendar year was 82, set in 2000 and equaled in 2001.
The large number of revenue limit referenda is not surprising given the recent history of a frozen revenue limits and high inflation. There has been no per pupil increase in revenue limits in six of the past eight years and revenue limits were frozen for both the 2021-22 an 2022-23 school year.
When you add in the 74 ballot questions asking for authority to issue debt for facilities related projects, the total number of school district referendum questions is the highest it has been since calendar year 2000, when 192 school district referenda of all types took place. (That 2000 total was prior to restrictions being placed on when school district referenda cold take place and how many times a district could place referendum questions before voters in a calendar year.) (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Oct 11, 2022 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
A new report from the Education Law Center finds Wisconsin school districts collectively faced a bill of $1.25 billion in unfunded special education costs in the 2019-2020 school year, even after accounting for state special education reimbursement and federal IDEA funds.
The report calls on the State to significantly boost the reimbursement rate for special education to enable districts to retain revenue in the general fund and increase spending on essential programs and services for all students.
Statewide, unfunded special education costs borne by Wisconsin school districts have grown from $1.03 billion in the 2015-16 school year, a figure reported by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Aug 29, 2022 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog
The U.S. Department of Education’s Proposed Rule to modify/amend the federal Title IX regulations is currently subject to a public comment opportunity for school districts and other interested parties to submit feedback to influence the final version of the regulations. The deadline for submitting comments on the Proposed Rule is September 12, 2022.
The WASB has prepared a general summary of the amendments found in the Proposed Rule, with brief commentary, that is intended to help Title IX Coordinators and other school district leaders understand the scope of the Proposed Rule and determine whether their school district wishes to submit any comments for purposes of their local advocacy. The WASB has attempted to identify the proposals that are likely to be of greatest interest to most school districts, however, the overview highlights only some of changes that are included in the Proposed Rule. (more…)
