School funding scrutiny begins

Legislators and public members examining school funding didn't say the sky is falling, but clearly indicated trouble is on the horizon.

"The status quo — at least over the next 5 to 10 years — will do harm," said UW Prof. Andy Reschovsky. "I think it would be a lost opportunity if we don't work to have a first class education system in this state."

Reschovsky's comments followed Chairman State Sen. Luther Olsen's (R-Ripon) opening remarks "that the most important thing is to do no harm. We can't have unintended consequences to changes we recommend." Olsen admitted, "We have a very challenging path ahead of us."

The Legislative Council committee reviewing the school aid formula is comprised of 11 legislators and 10 public members including several district administrators.

State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) said, "We need to take a long-term look. How are we paying for schools? You can't do it with property taxes. One-size-fits-all doesn't work. The educational opportunities aren't there for everyone." Erpenbach added, "A fundamental issue is: what is the role of the Legislature and the school board? In my mind the Legislature passes on unfunded mandates and the locals deal with it."

"I come to this with a fair amount of skepticism," said Todd Berry, president of the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, noting several other commissions and task forces he's served on that bore no fruit. "I have more modest hopes that we focus on real and immediate problems," identifying declining enrollment, high property value/low-income districts, revenue caps and the Qualified Economic Offer, of which he said "there is some evidence they need tweaking."

Olsen said the committee will meet twice monthly through the end of the year and that he intends to finish the committee's work in January. The group's recommendations will then be drafted into bill form for introduction during the 2007-09 session.

Burmaster releases 2007-09 budget request

State Superintendent Libby Burmaster has forwarded her 2007-09 K-12 budget request to the Governor's budget office. The most significant request for MMSD is an increase of $75 million in special education aid. DPI budget officials estimate the current reimbursement to school districts for special ed. expenditures would increase from the current 28% to about 30%.

The budget request also asks for a $3.1 million increase in bilingual-bicultural aid to maintain the current reimbursement level of 12%; increases the per pupil Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) allotment from $2,000 to $2,250 in accord with a tit-for-tat deal cut last session by Governor Doyle and legislative Republicans to expand the enrollment levels of the Milwaukee voucher program, and asks for $5 million to create a new before-and-after school grant program.

All state agencies submit budget requests to the governor for consideration to incorporate the ideas into the 2007-09 biennial budget slated for introduction by the Governor to the Legislature in February of 2007.

District administrators push for funding changes

District administrators from across the state representing large, small, urban, rural, growing and declining enrollment districts appealed to their colleagues for unifying behind a new school funding system at the Superintendents Fall Conference in Madison.

"One thing almost all of us share is that the revenue caps are forcing us to destroy our school districts," Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater told the district administrators. The district administrators hope to coalesce around the notion of "One Voice, One Future," which urges legislators to provide adequate resources — based on valid educational research — to meet Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards, or be willing to modify the standards.

Rainwater concluded his remarks saying, "'One Voice' means talking to our communities about demanding that the state Legislature give us adequate resources to meet their standards." District administrators hope to have local school boards pass resolutions urging the Legislature to provide the resources necessary to comply with the state standards.

A further goal is to have all 425 school districts agree to funding changes via a resolution at the annual State Education Convention of school board members, district administrators and school business officials held in Milwaukee in January.