Fed’s help points
out fatal flaws in state funding formula
The federal government, in order to keep teachers in
classrooms and kids learning during the economic downturn,
just sent $179 million to Wisconsin, the Badger State’s
share of the Education Jobs Fund’s $10 billion.
On a per-student basis, Oconomowoc got $459.79 per
student, Bonduel got $238.18, New Berlin got $160.60,
Beloit got $96.85, Chequamegon got $1.71, Turtle Lake
got $.58, Elcho got $.07, and Gibraltar got a penny.
What does that say about the Education Jobs Fund and,
more importantly, about the way Wisconsin sends desperately
needed revenue to communities throughout the state?
Well, what it said is that the system is broken, it
needs to be replaced with something that works for all
kids, and “A Penny for Kids” is part of
the solution because it addresses the immediate revenue
crisis.
»Click
here and read more.
Related stories:
»
MPS would have got more with Title I formula
»
Not all schools are sure about spending federal money
»
Door County districts "shortchanged" by
federal aid distribution
Campaign season offers hope for school-funding
reform
It’s that time again … the political campaign
season. We all have the opportunity to go to the polls
on Nov. 2, 2010, to elect a new governor. 99 Representatives,
and 17 Senators. Adding to the importance of upcoming
ballot is that over 20 legislators have announced their
retirement and the balance of power is at stake.
We also have a chance, perhaps, to begin the turn-around
of 17 years of a school-funding system that has caused
harm to kids, school districts, and communities. In
Wisconsin, how we fund public education is in the law.
To change the system, we need to change the law and
that has every thing to do with who is serving in the
Legislature and in the governor's mansion.
In other words, we need elected officials — Republican
or Democrat, conservative, liberal, or progressive —
who understand the funding system and how to change
it. You need to become a knowledgeable voter and you
need to hold candidates accountable for what they say
and do.
Click
here to to find out how you can be that kind of a citizen.
Sparsity aid is good news that could be much
better
School districts throughout Wisconsin —123 or
them to be exact-got some good news last week. The
Department of Public Instruction announced $14.95
million will distributed in sparsity aid as part of
the 2009-11 state budget.
According to a DPI
press release, the categorical aid was specifically
targeted to help small, rural districts provide educational
services.
This is, of course, a good thing and something WAES
has been fighting for years to bring about. It falls
far short, however, of what is needed to keep small,
rural schools and communities vital and viable. Read
more...
School aid estimates make "A Penny for Kids"
look even better
The evidence continues to mount: Wisconsin needs a
drastic and comprehensive overhaul of its school-funding
system, but, first, we need to address the desperate
revenue crisis faced by more and more children, property
taxpayers, and communities.
That is the reason for "A
Penny for Kids"-to meet that crisis head-on
and to buy us some time to finally take care of real
reform and change.
"A Penny for Kids" is the right thing
to do, and every day that passes proves that.
Read more...
Superintendent Evers takes on school-funding
 Tony
Evers, superintendent of the
Department of Public Instruction, unveiled a
framework for school-funding reform at an event
in Madison on June 24.
While not the comprehensive reform WAES will continue
to work for, Superintendent Evers has placed the issue
front and center in the upcoming political campaign,
signaled the inclusion of a call for significant changes
in the 2011-13 DPI budget, and set up a discussion of
long-term reform for the 2012-15 biennium.
The State Superintendent’s desire for meaningful
long-term reform is clear.
“Members of WAES are understandably proud of
the impact they have had on school-funding reform in
Wisconsin. The framework presented today shows we’ve
made a difference. By sticking true to our core principals
and not being afraid of honest discussion we have helped
define the debate and moved the issue to the top of
the public’s-and now State Government’s-priority
list,” said Kim Suhr, a spokesperson for WAES
from Wales.
Evers’ proposal - “Fair
Funding for our Future” - is based on many
of the principles WAES has advocated for years. The
State Superintendent talks about the need for increased
state revenue; a “minimum level” of state
aid for every child in Wisconsin; poverty as factor
in the aid calculation; “a predictable percentage
each year” in the growth of state school revenues;
and an expansion of sparsity and transportation aid
targeted to struggling rural districts.
These are all things WAES has advocated.
The plan also allocates about $900 million that now
goes into the Property Tax Levy Credit to actual aid
that reaches the classroom. Levy credits have long been
counted as “state education aid” but have
been used for property tax relief, not education-a State
Government flimflam game WAES has talked about in communities
all over Wisconsin.
“Every little detail of the Superintendents plan
may not be perfect,” said Suhr, a spokesperson
for WAES. “It does, however, recognize the funding
crisis faced by Wisconsin’s schools and children
and it starts us on the road to comprehensive, long-term
reform.”
While supporting the positive aspects of the framework,
WAES will keep working for long-term funding reform
that provides the actual cost of a quality education
and
“A Penny for Kids,” a one-cent increase
in the state sales tax, now, to stabilize school revenue.”
“While parts of the plan will not please everyone,”
Suhr said, “it makes headway if it is kept as
a unified proposal. WAES thanks Superintendent Evers,
eagerly anticipates the details of the framework, and
looks forward to working him on this extremely important
public policy issue.”
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