News and information for staff members and the Madison community
Vol. I No. 8 - July/August, 2006
Superintendent Art Rainwater and members of the Madison legislative delegation have recommended former school board president Nan Brien to serve as a member of the Legislative Council's Special Committee on Review of State School Aid Formula.
The Legislative Council study committees examine issues during even-numbered years, when the Legislature is out of session during the political campaign season. The committee's scope includes: review the various components that are used to calculate and distribute equalized and categorical aids, issues related to declining enrollment and increasing property values, and review the current statutory revenue limits, general referendum requirements, and the qualified economic offer.
In his support letter ![[PDF File]](/img/pdf-sm.gif "[PDF File]")
to Legislative Council co-chairs Sen. Alan Lasee
(R-De Pere) and Rep. Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton), Rainwater said, "I have
known Nan for over 12 years and believe her years of advocacy for children
and a solid working knowledge of the school aid formula and school programs
makes her an excellent candidate for appointment to this study committee."
Brien served on the Madison School Board for nine years, three as
president.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) told the co-chairs, "Not only does Nan have nearly a decade of experience on a local school board, but she also was the lead staff person in charge of K-12 policy during her tenure with the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families. Nan's experience working in team atmospheres on education policy will serve this committee well."
The Council will also look at charter schools, examining issues such as allowing charter school to be created without school board oversight.
The committees are comprised of legislators and citizen members. Members will be named to the 20 study committees in August. Committees will make legislative recommendations for consideration when the next session begins in January.
Speaker's Task Force on 4-year old Kindergarten — Members of the Assembly, along with citizens, are examining the value of 4-year old kindergarten. The task force, chaired by Assembly Education committee chairwoman Debi Towns (R-Janesville), will determine if structured 4K benefits society and what are reasonable and adequate costs. MMSD has raised the issue of the 4K funding disparity between public school 4K and Milwaukee voucher schools. It takes three years before a public school 4K program receives the full, allowed funding; voucher schools receive allowed funding by the end of the first year. Funding has been the primary reason preventing Madison from offering 4K.
Nan Brien
Last Updated: Wed Sep 27 09:33:50 2006
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