by Chris Kulow | Jun 8, 2023 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
Gov. Evers and GOP legislative leaders have reached a deal on K-12 education funding in conjunction with shared revenue to local governments. The compromise touts over $1 billion in new spendable revenue to public schools and large increases to vouchers and charter school payments.
From the governor’s office press release:
- Providing more than $1 billion in spendable revenue for K-12 education to maintain two-thirds funding, including a $325 per pupil increase in each fiscal year on revenue limits;
- Setting aside $50 million to improve reading and literacy outcomes for K-12 students (details for exact implementation of the funding have not yet been determined);
- Providing a per pupil aid increase for choice and independent charter schools;
- Investing $30 million over the biennium to continue the governor’s initiative to support school-based mental health services statewide;
- Reaching 33.3% reimbursement for special education; and
- Increasing the low revenue ceiling from $10,000 to $11,000 per student.
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by Chris Kulow | May 15, 2023 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) today projected state tax collections over the next two years would come in $755.1 million lower than what the agency expected just four months ago. Even with that dip, Wisconsin’s budget forecast still shows the state collecting about $6.9 billion more than anticipated by the end of this June.
From the Associated Press: “The projection from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that taxes collected over the next two years will be down about $755 million, or about 1% less than the previous forecast made four months ago. Taking into account other short-term cost savings, the surplus shrank from $7.1 billion to nearly $6.9 billion. (more…)
by Chris Kulow | May 2, 2023 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
School-related unfunded mandates have been reported to be provisions included in a package being developed by legislative Republicans to fund shared revenue to local governments. According to Wispolitics.com, the plan includes a mandate requiring all schools statewide to collect and maintain statistics on crimes that happen on school property during the week, similar to a proposal (2023 Assembly Bill 53) that has failed to pass as stand-alone legislation for several legislative sessions. Also included is a mandate requiring the Milwaukee Public School District Board to have school resource officers present at schools during normal hours, as well as other activities as needed. This is similar to legislation introduced earlier this session (Assembly Bill 69). The WASB opposed the former bill on local control grounds and provided comments suggesting changes to the latter bill. (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Apr 29, 2023 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
Many of Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposals will be on the chopping block Tuesday (May 2) as the GOP-controlled, budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) takes its first votes on the budget.
In a memo to committee members released on Friday (April 28), JFC Co-chairs, Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) outlined the process the Committee will follow in reviewing the 2023-25 state budget.
The Co-Chairs’ memo also stated their intention to draft a motion to remove a list of 545 of Evers’ proposals from further budget consideration. The full list of items was contained in the memo.
The meeting notice for Tuesday’s (May 2) executive (voting) session was also released Friday (April 28). That notice included the draft motion and list of items to be removed. (See page 2 of the notice.)
The list of items slated for removal that are related to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is provided below.
Interestingly, the governor’s recommendation to provide $10 million per year for early literacy and reading improvement is not on the list of items slated for removal. That item can be found at page 493 of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) summary document. It is item #6.
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by Chris Kulow | Apr 10, 2023 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
The state legislature’s budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) continues their “road show” or
series of four public hearings on the 2023-25 state budget this week with meetings in Eau Claire and Wisconsin Dells:
- Tuesday, April 11, 2023 UW-Eau Claire, Davies Student Center
Ojibwe Grand Ballroom (Third Floor)
77 Roosevelt Ave., Eau Claire
- Wednesday, April 12, 2023 Wilderness Resort, Glacier Canyon Conference Center
Sandstone Meeting Room
45 Hillman Road, Wisconsin Dells
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by Dan Rossmiller | Mar 30, 2023 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget
Earlier this month, the WASB sent an
op-ed piece to media outlets throughout the state on the subject of the need for inflationary increases in spendable resources for school districts. We encourage you to adapt this column to your district’s situation and share it with your local media (newspapers, radio and TV stations) and the public.
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