Governor Walker released his proposed 2015-17 state budget February 3, which maintains funding for BadgerLink and Public Library Aid and
makes changes to the TEACH program, by broadening existing statutory language,
so more schools can request access to multiple data lines and video links. In
addition, the proposed budget includes several initiatives related to broadband
expansion. For a general overview of what the Governor's proposed budget includes, you can view his executive budget summary or the Budget in Brief. We have provided a few snapshots of the general Department of Public Instruction budget below.
Now that the budget has been introduced, the powerful Joint
Finance Committee (JFC) will begin reviewing the document. JFC will hold
hearings with state agency leaders, conduct several public hearings throughout
the state and then make modifications to the proposed budget. After JFC
finishes its work in May, the bill goes to the Senate and Assembly for
approval.
Meanwhile, the State Legislature will continue to work. Representative
Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) and Senator Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) have
introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 5 and Senate Joint Resolution 4,
respectively, which eliminate the office of State Treasurer. Under their
proposal, the Lieutenant Governor takes the place of the State Treasurer on the
Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which administers the Common School
Fund. WEMTA’s Legislative Committee will closely monitor this legislation.
School Choice Expansion
The Governor's proposed
budget removes the enrollment caps on the school choice program and increases
funding for school choice. Participation in the program is currently capped at
1,000 students.
Charter School Oversight Board
The Governor recommends
creating a charter school oversight board, which would have responsibility for
approving new independent charter school authorizers, and increasing funding
for independent charter schools to reflect an anticipated increase in
enrollment.
School Accountability
The Governor recommends
the implementation of new school and district accountability measures and
increasing funding for assessments and assessment analysis necessary for the
accountability system. The Governor also recommends school and district report cards
include letter grades. The Governor further recommends that schools and
districts be allowed to choose which assessments are administered to their
students. In addition, Governor recommends that the State Superintendent
be prohibited from adopting SMARTER Balanced Assessments and participating in
the SMARTER Balanced Consortium. The Governor recommends that school districts
notify parents of the school district's and school's report card grades and the
academic standards to be used for the upcoming school year. Lastly, the
Governor recommends that the department and school boards provide information
regarding the educational options available to children between the ages of 3
and 18.
Alternative Teacher License
The Governor recommends
creating an alternative teaching license under which any person who has a bachelor's
degree, relevant experience and demonstrated proficiency in a subject may
receive a license to teach the relevant subject to students in grades 6 through
12.
CESA Participation
This proposed budget
makes school board participation in a cooperative educational service agency
(CESA) optional.
Common Core State Standards
The proposed budget prohibits
the state superintendent from requiring a school district to adopt or implement
the common core standards.
Secretary of State Efficiencies
The Governor recommends
reducing position and expenditure authority related to the assistant secretary
of state. The Governor also recommends moving the office to the state capitol
building to be co-located with the Office of State Treasurer. The Governor
further recommends reducing the amount transferred to the office by the
Department of Financial Institutions from $325,000 to $150,000. Finally, the
Governor recommends transferring the authority to record municipal boundary
changes to the Department of Administration to consolidate the process in one
agency.
Read to Lead
The Governor recommends
transferring the Read to Lead Development Council and its appropriations to the
Department of Children and Families and appointing the secretary of DCF as
chairperson.
Other highlights
include:
Provide $6 million of
new funding from the Universal Service Fund cash balance to the Broadband
Expansion Grant Program. In addition, increase flexibility for the Public
Service Commission in using current funds over the biennium and redirect unused
funds from other Universal Service Fund appropriations to the broadband
expansion grant program.
·
Tuition freezes for the
UW System and high-demand programs at Technical Colleges
·
$300 million cut to the
UW System and the creation of a public authority model
·
The budget does not
include significant increases to K-12 public education funding and it modifies
the way per pupil aid is calculated. It also does not include Superintendent
Evers's proposal to create grants for the consortia purchasing of
e-publications.
·
State Aid to the public
library system is set at roughly $15 million in each year of the biennium
·
The Governor recommends
offering a $2,000 annual incentive for employees who opt out of the state
health insurance program.
