by | Jun 24, 2021 | Stand Up for Public Education Blog, Uncategorized
Wild rice, or manoomin, grows in lakes and streams of northern Wisconsin.
Northeastern Wisconsin students are learning about growing and raising wild rice by learning from the the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Manoomin (Wild Rice) team, according to an article from the university.
A Green Bay East High School agriculture class learned to care for the growing rice plants in their greenhouse.
Meanwhile, the university’s wild rice team welcomed Howard-Suamico School District third graders to learn about wild rice at a nature preserve. They learned from a citizen of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin about wild rice origin stories, tribal restoration efforts and the cultural significance of wild rice.
Read more at the university’s article.
by Dan Rossmiller | Apr 23, 2021 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog, State Issue, Uncategorized
As we reported in an earlier blog post, Wisconsin is receiving $175 million in federal funding to implement testing programs in schools.
The first phase of this testing program will include options for schools to begin conducting tests in Spring and Summer 2021. Future phases will expand testing options and supports available to schools in Fall 2021 and during the 2021-22 school year.
To provide school leaders with information about getting schools certified to become part of these new COVID-19 testing opportunities, the DPI and the state Department of Health Services will be conducting a webinar today (Friday, April 23) from 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link and call-in information. You can register here.
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by Dan Rossmiller | Jan 27, 2021 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue, Uncategorized
A new analysis of the state’s finances released yesterday (1/26) by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) projects that state revenues over the current fiscal year and the next two fiscal years comprising the 2021-23 biennial budget will be $1.156 billion higher overall, than earlier estimates released in November by the state Department of Administration (DOA). That will ease pressures on state finances somewhat and could mean lawmakers will be able to provide some of those additional revenues to fund schools in the upcoming 2021-23 biennium.
In a memo to the co-chairs of the legislature’s budget-writing Joint Finance Committee, LFB Director Bob Lang wrote that the state is now expected to finish the current fiscal year on June 30, 2021 with a gross balance of nearly $1.9 billion, compared to more than $1.2 billion that been had projected back in November.
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by Dan Rossmiller | Nov 25, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue, Uncategorized, WASB
In this Thanksgiving season many of us are taking time to express thanks in a variety of ways. Yesterday, WASB Executive Director John Ashley wrote to Gov. Evers to thank him for supporting local school board decision-making during this difficult pandemic.
As we reported in an earlier blog post, Gov. Evers publicly supported school boards during a recent press conference where he was asked about a call by the state’s largest teachers union for the state to mandate uniform “return to school” criteria on all school districts in Wisconsin. When asked to comment on that request, the governor responded that local school boards, administrators and teachers statewide were “doing their best” and there are places where in-person instruction is “frankly, working well” and that it is “a difficult thing for us to sit here and talk about it being a one (single, uniform) answer to 420-some school districts.”
The WASB appreciates that the governor recognized that school boards and administrators are doing the best job they can as they make difficult decisions that balance the science and their own community’s circumstances.
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by Dan Rossmiller | Nov 23, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, Uncategorized, WASB
The Report to the Membership on Proposed 2021 WASB Resolutions has now been posted on the WASB website. The report presents the resolutions that were advanced by the Policy & Resolutions Committee and will be considered by the 2021 WASB Delegate Assembly along with the rationale for each resolution.
The WASB Delegate Assembly will held on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. This year, for the first time, the Delegate Assembly will be held using a virtual format. More information for delegates will be forthcoming, including specific information about how to participate in online format of this year’s Delegate Assembly.
School leaders and others who are not delegates will be able to watch a streaming video of the proceedings of the Delegate Assembly.
Watch the WASB Legislative Update Blog for more information.
by Dan Rossmiller | Oct 30, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, National Issue, State Issue, Uncategorized
Tuesday, Nov. 3 is election day. It goes with saying that this is an important election for our state and nation. It is also an important election for school districts.
As we have noted in previous posts, there are 51 local school referenda in 41 districts on Tuesday’s ballot. There are also at least 13 current and former school board members running for state or federal legislative office.
In addition, school board members and administrators are reminded that 2019 Act 185 requires all school districts to report the impacts of school closures to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) by November 1, 2020. DPI is required to report this information to the legislature and will be posting it on the department’s website.
The DPI developed a survey tool to collect this information. District administrators should have received a unique link to access the survey tool on August 10, 2020. Additional information regarding this required survey is available here.
