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Number 2, February 21, 2002
Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater urged the Legislature's budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) to spare Wisconsin's K-12 schools from deeper cuts than those already required by revenue limits. Rainwater testified before the committee at its public hearing on the budget in Madison.
"Revenue limits have forced schools to cut year after year," he said. "It's critically important that we not further reduce funding to K-12 schools. Even with the Governor's repair budget - which essentially holds schools harmless - Madison will still have to cut another $5-7 million from the budget we craft this spring," he told the committee. He added that the district has cut over $17.5 million and eliminated almost 170 positions since the inception of revenue limits in 1993.
Rainwater also said unfunded mandates by the state and federal government affect all of Wisconsin's schools, referring specifically to special education and bilingual programs. "Last year we added $2.1 million and over 40 positions for special education and bilingual programs, while we cut nearly $5.5 million from our total budget." The state reimburses school districts for special education at around 30%, and bilingual programs at 17% of total costs.
"Schools can't continue down this road. We are jeopardizing one of the nation's best school systems. I ask you to protect this state's great school system, built by generations of Wisconsinites," Rainwater said in his concluding comments.
Education testimony dominated the morning portion of the hearing with K-12 representatives from Racine, Pecatonica, New Berlin, La Crosse, Milton, Menomonee Falls and Fort Atkinson all urging the committee not to make things worse for K-12 education. Milwaukee Public Schools testified in a triumvirate with a business community leader and head of the local teacher's union. All of the education speakers detailed cuts made through the years due to revenue limits.
The JFC plans to begin executive action on February 27 and has a goal of completing its work by Friday March 8. The bill will then go to the Assembly for revisions and debate before it is sent to the Senate. It is believed that the budget passed by the Assembly and Senate will require a conference committee to square the different versions of the bill. Political observers believe the budget repair bill will be sent to Gov. Scott McCallum in April.
A conference committee is comprised of leadership in both houses and the final product may not be amended prior to sending the bill to the governor. To date, only Senate and Assembly Republicans have offered alternatives to the governor's budget (done prior to McCallum's introduction of his budget repair bill). Both proposals recommend freezing revenues for government programs. Madison school officials estimate a freeze would require a $10-15 million cut for the 2002-03 school year budget.
It's important that Madison legislators and Senate and Assembly leadership are reminded of the cuts schools have had to take over the last 9 years. Please take a moment to call or e-mail legislators. The link (http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/speced6.htm) to the district's Web site has the current contact information.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster is holding nine "community dialogue" sessions across the state to discuss core values essential for a healthy school aid formula. At the recent Madison session, over 30 individuals, representing a broad cross section of the community, offered comments. Those providing input included educators, Municipal Judge Shelley Gaylord, Mayor Sue Bauman, former Mayor Paul Soglin, UW Education Professor Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kevin King and Michael Theo from regional and state Realtors associations and individuals from various advocacy groups.
Madison Schools has focused on the 2000 State Supreme Court decision (Vincent v. Voight) to tailor its arguments for school funding, focusing on resources for low-income, special education and bilingual students (http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/deficit.htm). An overwhelming majority of those attending the Madison session indicated "student equity," or resources for disadvantaged students, as a key element for a solid school aid formula. The need for "local control," "funding for a quality education" and "adequacy," or the need for a finance system that supports a basic education, were also strongly supported by the Madison group.
Several people argued that if the state and federal government adequately financed the special ed./bilingual mandates, it would free up the necessary resources for staff development, alternative education programs, and other opportunities for students and staff essential for a strong school district. Mary Larson, a Schenk Elementary physical therapist with the district for 25 years, said, "We must change the way we pay for special education."
In announcing the statewide forums Burmaster said, "The state must seize the opportunity to balance our shared responsibility for fiscal discipline and accountability with our shared value to put our children and their education first." Burmaster plans to highlight her findings from the nine forums in her "State of the State on Education" address in mid-April. She also plans to incorporate her findings into her 2003-05 biennial budget request submitted to the Governor this September.