« Legislative Alert: Action Needed on AB 196/SB170 | Home | Capitol Update – Joint Informational Education Committee Hearing »
Capitol Update 091225
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 12, 2025
As the Legislature returned to the Capitol to resume work during their fall floor period there was no shortage of news this week. The respective caucuses in the Assembly held their own press conferences, highlighting their priorities for education policy this fall.
On Thursday (9/11), Assembly Democrats announced their proposals to fund healthy meals for all kids, require the publication of voucher costs on property tax bills, and provide general equalization aid in the amount designed to equal the allowable revenue limit increase of $325 (plus additional dollars to meet CPI). There will likely be additional press conferences highlighting not only their education policy priorities but also other policy priority areas as we move through the fall.
On Tuesday (9/9), Assembly Republicans held a press conference outlining their fall education policy priorities. The event was light on specifics but highlighted several areas of focus, including:
- A proposed “Teachers Bill of Rights” to establish new state standards for student behavior and discipline in local districts
- “Act 20” for mathematics
- Consolidation and shared services
- Streamlining dual enrollment and ECCP
- Restricting drone use on school property
Speaker Robin Vos (R–Rochester) also announced the formation of four task forces that will convene this fall on: government efficiency, protecting children, elder services, and the administrative rules process. These are broad topics with few details and no bill drafts at this stage—a not-uncommon approach. It is also important to note that the State Senate has not publicly signaled alignment with the issues presented.
For context, the recommendations from the 2022 Legislative Council Study Committee on Shared Services and Consolidation emerged after many hours of public testimony and deliberation by legislators, public members, and representatives from WASB and WASDA, with input from school leaders statewide. Some of those proposals could be included in the “package” referenced in the press conference. However, new ideas are circulating among legislators—though not yet in draft form. These include policies to “adjust mill rates” of consolidated districts, “whole grade sharing,” and other potential changes that could include requirements on the implementation of already approved referenda in districts entering consolidation.
It is worth cautioning that the Assembly Majority appears unlikely to support new state funding this session to support districts in consolidation. It should be noted, Senate floor session opportunities are likely to be more limited this fall.
While there are currently no drafts available from the majority party, and no additional details are available beyond the very few details provided in the press conference, I will be following up with expanded information I am gathering soon.
Below are links to the summary and proposals from the 2022 Legislative Council Study Committee on Share Services and Consolidation referenced above:
- 2023 Assembly Bill 190 school and school district accountability report for a consolidated school district.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 191 reducing the number of members on the school board of a consolidated school district.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 192 aid for transporting pupils between school districts that share services and making an appropriation.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 193 grants for feasibility studies of school district consolidation or whole grade sharing and making an appropriation.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 194 state aid for school district consolidation.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 195 calculating a consolidated school district’s revenue limit.
- 2023 Assembly Bill 196 aid to school districts that share services for costs associated with student information systems and making an appropriation.
Topics: SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Comments are closed.