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Governor Evers Announces 2023-25 Education Budget Initiatives
By Dee Pettack | February 14, 2023
Governor Evers announced the following K-12 Education initiatives will be included in his 2023-25 budget proposal. The Governor will formally introduce his budget Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 6:30. The budget address will stream live on wiseye.org.
The summary of initiatives published by The Wheeler Report is below:
K-12 BUDGET INITIATIVES
According to the release, “In total the governor’s 202325 biennial budget will provide an increase of more than $2.6 billion for public schools, including the second largest proposed direct investment in state general aids since the 1995-97 biennium, the largest per pupil adjustments since revenue limits were imposed, and a historic investment in special education.”
Overall Investment:
- $1 billion over the biennium through the state’s general equalization aid formula, the second largest proposed direct investment in state general aids since the 1995-97 biennium.
- A more than $1 billion increase in special education aid over the biennium, which would increase reimbursement rates to 60 percent in both years of the biennium.
- Granting districts a sizable increase in revenue-raising authority, with per pupil revenue limit increases of $350 in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 and an additional $650 in FY 2024-25—the largest per pupil adjustments since revenue limits were imposed.
- A low revenue ceiling increase of $450 per pupil in FY 2023-24 and an additional $750 per pupil in FY 2024-25, increasing revenue limit equity among school districts.
- A combined increase of $1,000 per pupil over the biennium while keeping the estimated gross school levy increase below one percent on a statewide basis in both fiscal years.
- A per pupil aid investment of $46.5 million over the biennium, resulting in a $24 per pupil increase in FY 2023-24 and an additional $45 per pupil in FY 2024-25.
- Per pupil payment increases of $374 in FY 2023-24 and another $695 in FY 2024-25 for independent charter schools and schools participating in a parental choice or special needs scholarship program. These increases are commensurate with the increased spending power provided to public school districts through revenue limit adjustments and per pupil aid increases.
- Freeze enrollment in schools participating in a parental choice program for school year 2024-25 at year 2023-24 enrollments, allowing families continued access to private schools while affirming the state’s commitment to robust funding for Wisconsin’s excellent public schools.
Special Education:
- Providing a more than $1 billion investment in special education aid, reaching 60 percent in both years of the biennium and going beyond his fall proposal with a historic and critical investment of $491.4 million in FY 2023-24 and $521.7 million in FY 2024-25; and
- Investing $1.6 million in FY 2023-24 and $5.9 million in FY 2024-25 to increase high-cost special education reimbursements, increasing the reimbursement rate from around 30% today to 60 percent at the end of the biennium.
“Get Kids Ahead” Initiative:
- $117.9 million per year to continue the “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, providing per pupil payments instead of competitive grants;
- $18 million per year to reimburse schools for costs around an expanded list of school mental health professionals; and
- $580,000 per year for staff training on evidence-based strategies.
- Additionally, the governor’s investment will provide $3.6 million in FY 2023-24 and $7.3 million in FY 2024-25 to allow schools to receive Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth origination costs.
Increased Medicaid Support:
- Recommending modifying Medicaid school-based services to allow participating school districts to retain 100 percent of the federal funding received for those services as opposed to the 60 percent share they currently receive. This will result in school districts receiving an estimated additional $112 million of federal funding over the biennium.
Health Meals, Health Kids:
- Creating theHealthy Meals, Healthy Kids program, an initiative aimed at improving student health and reducing hunger by investing $120.2 million in FY 2024-25 to fully fund school breakfasts and lunches for all children;
- Providing $4.3 million in FY 2023-24 and $4.7 million in FY 2024-25 to increase the school breakfast reimbursement rate to 15 cents per meal and extending eligibility for the reimbursement to independent charter schools and state residential schools operated by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI); and
- Incentivizing schools to support Wisconsin farmers, food producers, and local economies by providing $2.75 million in FY 2024-25 for an enhanced 10 cents reimbursement per meal for those including locally sourced foods.
Literacy and Improving Reading Outcomes:
- $10 million per year to fund comprehensive training for 28 new coaches in literacy and 28 new professionals in early reading instruction practices, designed to focus on school reading instruction improvement and early childhood; and
- $4.9 million over the biennium to engage multiple stakeholders and strategies, including:
- $1.4 million for The Literacy Lab;
- $3 million for the Wisconsin Reading Corps; and
- $500,000 for Reach out and Read.
- This budget also provides $742,500 per year for Wisconsin Literacy to conduct adult literacy activities, including expert trainings, personalized consultations, and workforce connections.
Financial Literacy, Mathematics, and Computer Science:
- Introducing a new “Do the Math” personal finance initiative, allocating $2.5 million per year to help schools start or improve programs around financial literacy curriculum and innovative instruction practices; and
- Providing $10 million in FY 2024-25 to the Milwaukee Math Partnership, a collaboration among the Milwaukee Public Schools district, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Milwaukee Area Technical College focused on the implementation of mathematics curriculum and professional development for current and aspiring Milwaukee teachers.
- Funding a statewide computer science education coordinator through DPI, allocating $20,000 in FY 2024-25 for a computer science education task force, and providing $5 million annually for grants to school districts to access computer science curriculum, particularly around programming concepts and professional development; and
- Creating a statutory requirement that each Wisconsin high school provide at least one computer science course.
Supporting English Learners:
- $8.2 million in FY 2023-24 and $14.2 million in 2024-25 to increase reimbursement of costs for schools with higher concentrations of English Learners from 7.9 percent to 20 percent by the end of the biennium; and
- More than $25.9 million per year for a new Aid for English Language Acquisition program and $310,500 over the biennium to formalize the process for Wisconsin English learners to earn a Seal of Biliteracy and support districts that assist students in achieving this seal.
Teacher Workforce:
- $5 million in FY 2024-25 for grants to support “grow your own” educator programming, which may include providing current employees with funding to pursue additional higher education credits, licenses, or certifications, engaging with community organizations, and supporting student organizations with “future teacher” missions; and
- $9.4 million in FY 2024-25 to provide stipends to student teachers and interns, $2 million in FY 2024-25 to provide stipends to teachers who agree to train and oversee student teachers or interns, and $50,000 in FY 2024-25 for stipends to school library interns.
- Proposing to authorize state agencies and local units of government, including schools, to rehire a retired annuitant teacher under certain circumstances to address workforce recruitment and retention issues. This will make it easier to hire experienced educators and staff.
Supporting Tribal Partners:
- Proposes $24,100 in FY 2023-24 and $49,400 in FY 2024-25 to increase Wisconsin Grants for Tribal college students by 5 percent in the first year and another 5 percent in the second year.
- Invests $200,000 per year for a grant program administered by DPI to reimburse expenses incurred by school districts that choose to change race-based mascots and logos.
Additional Student Supports:
- Out-of-School Programming:provides supports for students before, during, and after school by investing $20 million in FY 2024-25 for out-of-school time grants, enhancing offerings from schools and communities to help kids avoid risky and dangerous behaviors, keep kids engaged in their coursework, and provide homework assistance. This budget also provides $2 million per year to Graduation Alliance, which works to reengage students at risk of not finishing high school.
- Driver’s Education: provides $6.5 million in FY 2024-25 to subsidize the cost of providing driver’s education to economically disadvantaged students. This provision was also announced as part of the governor’s initiatives to address reckless driving.
- Career and Postsecondary Opportunities:provides $500,000 in FY 2024-25 to pay General Education Development testing costs and increase high school equivalency attainment to open doors for employment and postsecondary opportunities. In addition, this budget provides $704,000 over the biennium to continue support for contract costs related to academic and career planning for pupils in grades 6-12.
- Prevent Opioid Overdoses:establishes a requirement that every school in Wisconsin have opioid antagonists, such as naloxone and naltrexone, on hand in the event of a suspected opioid drug overdose.
- Encouraging Family and Outdoor Engagement:provides $243,600 per year to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to provide fee waivers for annual admissions receipts to state parks for the families of fourth-grade students, aligning state parks with the national Every Kid Outdoors program.
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