Rural Schools Task Force Created

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) announced the creation of a Rural Schools Task Force, recommended by the 2013-15 state budget, on Friday.

The task force will be chaired by Representative Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander), and Representative Fred Clark (D-Baraboo) will serve as vice-chair.

Representative Swearingen announced that the first meeting will be held this month in Rhinelander, though he did not specify an exact date.  

The Speaker has charged the task force with studying the following areas:

• Creating partnerships among school districts

• Exploring new avenues to share innovations, efficiencies and best-practices

• Addressing future transportation needs

• Mapping out strategies for long-term financial stability

• Developing tactics for handling declining enrollment

• Maximizing opportunities to incorporate advanced technology

As enacted by the 2013-15 state budget, the task force should submit a report on these topics to the Joint Legislative Council by April 1, 2014. 

Speaker Vos: Announces Bipartisan Task Force on Rural Schools

Ask the FCC to raise the E-Rate funding cap!

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is accepting comments on a proposed rule (13-184) to modernize the E-Rate program, which provides schools and public libraries with discounts for telecommunication services and Internet access, between now and September 16!

Improving high-speed internet access for schools and libraries by 2018 is one of President Obama's second-term goals, and updating E-Rate will be crucial to its success. According to the FCC's rulemaking request, the E-rate program is vital for the "operation of modern schools and libraries." And it lays out the following goals for modernizing the program:

(1) Ensuring schools and libraries have affordable access to 21st Century broadband that supports digital learning;

(2) Maximizing the cost-effectiveness of E-rate funds; and

(3) Streamlining the administration of the E-rate program.

The FCC would like comments on how to best achieve these goals and how to best measure the success of each goal.

One of the FCC's proposals is to focus E-rate funds on supporting broadband to and within schools and libraries; they ask for comments on how to support connectivity within schools and libraries, which services to phase out (such as voice and paging services) in order to maximize funding on broadband and input on modifying the discount matrix. The FCC also seeks comment on "the percent of schools and libraries that do not have the necessary equipment to provide high-capacity broadband connectivity within schools, and the amount it would cost to provide high-capacity broadband connectivity within such schools and libraries."

Detailed objectives for achieving the three stated goals can be found beginning on page 18 (goal one), 48 (goal two) and 59 (goal three) of  this document. 

Ask the FCC to raise the E-Rate funding cap so that schools and libraries can meet their bandwidth needs. The Ed Tech Action Network has an excellent draft comment example for anyone interested in submitting comments.

To submit your comments, click here and identify 13-184 as the proceeding number in the first box. 

Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate Secretary of State and State Treasurer Introduced

State Representatives Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) and Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) have officially introduced their constitutional amendment to eliminate the positions of secretary of state and state treasurer, both of whom serve on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands which administers the Common School Fund. 

The amendment, which would replace the secretary of state and state treasurer with the lieutenant governor and state superintendent on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands,  was introduced as Assembly Joint Resolution 48 (AJR 48).

AJR 48 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs, and three of the Committee's members--Representatives Kuglitsch, August and Knodl-- are co-sponsors of the amendment. 

The next step in the legislative process is a public hearing held by the Assembly Committee on State Affairs, which has not been scheduled at this time. 

School Bullying and Cyberbullying Legislation

Two state legislators have introduced bills to address the issue of bullying in public schools. 

Senator Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) has introduced Senate Bill 184, which requires the definition of bullying in the Department of Public Instruction's model policy, which a school board can choose to adopt, to include bullying by electronic means. The bill also requires the model policy to include a requirement that a school district official who has reasonable cause to suspect that a bullying incident is a violation of a criminal law report the incident to a law enforcement agency. Finally, the bill requires the model policy to include appropriate responses to bullying that occurs off school grounds.

SB 184 also creates a new misdemeanor category for online bullying that occurs on social media sites. Current law only regulates online bullying via e-mail messages.

SB 184 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Education.  

Representative Gary Bies (R-Sister Bay) has introduced Assembly Bill 123, which would fine a school district employee $200 for failing to report an incident of bullying. 

AB 123 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Education. 

No legislative action has been taken on either of these bills at this time. 

Legislators Aim to Delete Secretary of State, State Treasurer. What does this mean for the Common School Fund?

State Representatives Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) and Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) have drafted a constitutional amendment to eliminate the positions of secretary of state and state treasurer, both of whom serve on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands which administers the Common School Fund. 

"The duties performed by these officials are obsolete and are already performed by other areas of government, but yet the taxpayers pay over $2 million for their salaries, benefits, and staff,” said Schraa in a press release issued by the legislators. “This bill is a common-sense reform that the legislature should adopt immediately.”

Currently, the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands is comprised of the secretary of state, the state treasurer and the attorney general. If the proposed  constitutional amendment takes effect,  the lieutenant governor and state superintendent of public instruction will become members and the attorney general will remain a member. 

Concerns have been raised over the decision to make the lieutenant governor a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, since the position is more political than secretary of state and state treasurer. The change in membership is especially concerning since the Common School Fund is frequently the target of "fund raids" that attempt to divert money away from the Fund to finance other programs. 

In a recent op-ed featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Secretary of State Doug La Follette, State Treasurer Kurt Schuller and Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen highlighted the important work the Board does for public school libraries. 

They wrote:

Through the programs we manage, Wisconsin's public school libraries are annually provided funds for the purchase of books, newspapers and periodicals, web-based resources, computer hardware and software and other library assets. We have generated enough money from our investments to put a book in the hand of every child in Wisconsin.

To take effect, the amendment would need to pass both houses of the legislature in two consecutive legislative sessions and receive the approval of voters in a statewide referendum. This means that August and Schraa's proposal would need to pass both the Assembly and Senate during the 2013-14 session and again in the 2014-15 session. 

The proposed amendment has not been formally introduced yet, and we will update you with more details as they become available. 

Senate Passes State Budget, Heads to Governor

Summary can be found on the WEMTA website Legislative Updates

Check Out the Legislative Update on the 

WEMTA Website!

Governor Walker introduced his proposed 2013-15 state budget in February. The proposal has been referred to the Joint Committee on Finance, which is currently voting on the proposed budget. The Committee has the power to modify the Governor’s proposal, and it is likely the Committee will increase public school funding when it votes on the proposed Department of Public Instruction budget. 

For more information on the details and latest legislative news please check out the Legislative Update on the WEMTA Website. 

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