Legislative Alert on Literacy
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 8, 2023
Republican Legislators have scheduled a press conference for 9am today to introduce their proposal on K-12 literacy. SAA was able to view a draft of the proposal late yesterday and anticipate the introduction of the final proposal today.
The draft proposal was wide ranging including items such as required training, adoption of a statewide literacy screener and the development of a third-grade retention policy and approved list of curricula.
When the final draft is made available, SAA will provide a summary and copy of the legislation. For those who wish to view the press conference – you can find it here.
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ESSER Funds & 2023-25 State Budget Update
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 6, 2023
ESSER Funds Update from DPI:
Education partners, DPI is pleased to share the attached information sent by the US Department of Education confirming that the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which suspended the Federal debt ceiling, does not impact formula-driven COVID-19 relief funds awarded under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program, the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program, the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) program, or the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) program. LEAs should continue to spend and claim these funds according to their DPI approved budgets and plans by their federal deadlines (September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2024).
Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and COVID 19 Relief Funds Letter
Budget Update:
The Joint Finance Committee is only meeting on Thursday this week. Generally, most budgets are completed by the July 1st deadline. Governor Evers’ first two budgets were passed by the Committee on June 11, 2019, and June 17, 2021.
The 2023-25 budget appears to be moving at a slower pace than most budgets in the last few decades. Major items, like K-12 spending are being held up due to negotiations on shared revenue (funding for local governments).
Twice in the past 20 years the committee has completed its work by now, once in 2013 under Gov. Scoot Walker it finished June 4th after a grueling all-night session. Two budgets in the past 20 years were unable to advance the bill out of committee by June 30th. In 2015, JFC sent the budget to both houses on July 2nd. In 2017, disagreements between the houses, largely related to the amount of bonding to spend on transportation kept the bill in JFC until September 5th.
Additional updates will be forthcoming – please use this time to reach out to your legislators to express the needs of your school district and the impact significant investments in general, flexible, spendable aid, special education aid and mental health would have on your school district.
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Budget and Legislative Update
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 1, 2023
Today the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will meet in executive session to act on the following areas of the budget:
- Public Service Commission
- Tourism
- Appropriation Obligation Bonds
- Building Commission
- Building Program
The committee will meet next week on the following areas of the budget on Thursday:
Thursday June 8, 2023
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Justice
- Department of Safety and Professional Services
- Department of Administration
While K-12 funding is not yet scheduled for an executive session it is important that we continue to communicate with legislators the need for general, flexible, spendable revenue, a significant increase in special education aid to provide resources that benefit all students and an meaningful investment in mental health supports to meet the needs in our school communities.
Federal Debt Limit Legislation
The Department of Public Instruction provided a short update around the federal debt limit legislation with the following caveats: the bill itself is not yet signed into law, and they have not yet received it but are expecting final guidance soon. DPI’s read of the debt limit bill as it stands today is that the language only impacts funds that have not already been obligated from the federal government to states. All our COVID relief money, most notably ESSER III, is considered obligated, regardless of a district’s status with their individual authorized amounts.
The Council on Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) recently provided states with the following language, which mimics DPI’s read of the bill. “A U.S. Department of Education spokesperson confirmed this in a recent news article, noting in Politico that “all COVID relief money for K-12 public schools has been obligated” at the federal level such that the rescission language in the bill does not apply. Notably, the legislation does not rescind K-12 COVID relief funding previously allocated to states under ESSER, GEER, or EANS.”
SAA will provide additional updates on this legislation when guidance is issued.
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Members Only Post 02
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 30, 2023
Here’s some members-only content in here.
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Upcoming Education Committee Hearings
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 19, 2023
Next week the Senate Committee on Education will hold a public hearing on Tuesday (05/23) on two pieces of legislation.
Senate Bill 115: Requirement to add one-half credit of personal financial literacy as a high school graduation.
Under current law, a school board may grant a high school diploma to a pupil only if the pupil meets specific statutory requirements, including earning a certain number of credits in various subjects in the high school grades.
eginning with pupils graduating in 2028, this bill requires that, to graduate high school, a pupil must earn at least one-half credit of personal financial literacy that includes financial mindset, education and employment, money management, saving and investing, credit and debt, and risk management and insurance.
Senate Bill 206: Requirement to maintain usable opioid antagonist at a school in a standard first aid kit.
Under current law, school boards and governing bodies of private schools are required to supply a standard first aid kit for use in an emergency. Also under current law, certain school personnel, including employees and volunteers of public and private schools, are permitted to administer an opioid antagonist to a person who appears to be undergoing an opioid-related drug overdose.
This bill adds that school boards and governing bodies of private schools are required to ensure that each school maintains a usable supply of an opioid antagonist on site, in a place that is always accessible.
On Thursday (05/25) the Assembly Committee on Education will hold an executive session on two bills that were previously heard. If the committee approves the proposals, they will move to the full Assembly for consideration.
- AB 109 Financial Literacy: Requiring one-half credit of personal financial literacy for high school graduation.
- AB 024 Child Abuse Hotline: Posting the child abuse and neglect reporting hotline in school buildings. This bill would require that each school district post the number of the child abuse and neglect reporting hotline in their buildings. A request was made that a uniform template be provided should the bill pass.
The committee will hold a public hearing and take public comments on three additional proposals following the conclusion of the executive session.
- AB 99 Teaching Licenses: Maintaining a lifetime teaching, administrator, or pupil services license. This bill will allow an educator to maintain their lifetime license if they work at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) whereas, under current law the lifetime license would expire after five years.
- AB 246 Advisory Committee Membership: The membership of a human growth and development curriculum advisory committee. This bill removes the requirement that a School Administrator (as defined under PI-34) must be one of the members of the advisory committee appointed by the school board.
- AB 232 Hmong American Instruction: Directing school boards to provide instruction on Hmong Americans and Asian Americans. This bill adds Hmong Americans and Asian Americans to the list under Wis. Stat. §118.01 (2) (c) 8 which currently states: At all grade levels, an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, and Hispanics.
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