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Urgent Budget Update
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 9, 2025
Good afternoon,
The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday at 1:00 pm to take up education funding for the 2025-27 State Budget. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau has released key budget papers for the meeting, including:
- General Aid, Revenue Limits, Categorical Aids
- Special Education
- Equalization Aid
The committee appears poised to focus spending on High-Cost Special Education Aid and the School Levy Tax Credit, rather than significantly raising the primary special education categorical aid. If that happens, it will result in minimal new, spendable resources for classrooms and students.
For reference:
High-Cost Special Education Aid currently reimburses up to 90% of eligible costs above $30,000 per student – as you know, the reimbursement is further prorated, and the aid is only accessed by approximately half of school districts.
In contrast, the primary special education categorical aid reimbursement is confirmed at 30.64% currently and every district would benefit from increased investment from the state. Please consider how increased sum sufficient funding at 60% would impact your district.
This is a critical moment in the budget process, and work has shifted to a much faster pace. SAA encourages you to work with your leadership team and board to share a unified message on the importance of investing in special education and what a significant impact increased investment in the primary special education categorical aid will make in your district.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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