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TO: Madison legislative delegation
FROM: Joe Quick, MMSD Legislative Liaison/Communication Specialist
DATE: June 8, 2007
RE: Key K-12 Budget Provisions
The district generally supports the K-12 package approved by the Joint Finance Committee. However, there are a handful of key issues that are most important to the district. The following details those issues.
SAGE — Support Governor's provision to increase SAGE funding from $2,000 per low income child to $2,250. The increase provides an estimated $737,500 for MMSD classroom resources.
It was disappointing that Republicans on the JFC refused to support the deal GOP leadership made with Gov. Doyle last year related to the Milwaukee voucher enrollment expansion, tied to a per pupil increase for SAGE students. The additional $6 million needed to fund SAGE at a $250 per pupil increase should be non-negotiable because the deal was already agreed to.
School Safety — Support Sen. Russ Decker's JFC motion to allow school districts to spend, outside the revenue limits, up to $100 per pupil for security staff/equipment.
Special Education Aid — Support Supt. Burmaster's budget recommendation to increase special education aid to $75 million over the biennium. Burmaster's proposal would provide MMSD with an estimated nearly $1 million over the Governor's proposal.
When revenue limits started in 1993-94 the state reimbursed school districts for 45% of SPED costs. With the current reimbursement at less than 29%, the district's resources declined by $9.4 million compared to the 45% reimbursement rate.
Bilingual-Bicultural Aid — Support the Governor's increase in aid to maintain the state's 12% reimbursement (would provide an estimated $52,000 to MMSD in both years of the biennium). When revenue limits began, the state reimbursed school districts at 33% for bilingual-bicultural expenses. The current reimbursement is 12%, a loss of resources to the district of $2.2 million.
Combined, the decline in state reimbursement for SPED and bilingual-bicultural aid to Madison Schools is $11.6 million. The District estimates it will have to cut an estimated $5-7 million from its "cost to continue" budget for 2007-08 in order to comply with revenue limits.