[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6318191,"mediaKeyId","2367978-6cebd3a6a3053b0101d9689f7bb1b8e8","parentId",2367978,"title","Board reviews Forward Career and College Academy charter proposal; members flag gaps on budget, enrollment and overlap with district CTE","audioSeconds",5672,"startMs",5682000,"endMs",9172,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367978-6cebd3a6a3053b0101d9689f7bb1b8e8&start=5682&end=9","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367978-6cebd3a6a3053b0101d9689f7bb1b8e8/thumbnail_5682000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6318191/Wisconsin/Board-reviews-Forward-Career-and-College-Academy-charter-proposal-members-flag-gaps-on-budget-enrollment-and-overlap-with-district-CTE","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318191-941eb558fb78233f774ca36316bc8e78/orig.mp4?Expires=1776347948&Signature=i2Fn57TXD34M-j-kQWxYsawUaJh8ad0ShsyYFMSOutAuHQulgoAjrs-U20O3LXCFkDLiRFiEQOWEO5u4~YZZjuWluLRJTVYVghMYV03QFnhaE2XviiaqiRmtOM1eGBH7pyylar8USBV-CPt~hQ0yXbF~p65EfpBHei7x5~jhrrrILZt~UpQSCObhgFoeB9ZjpioiH9QzZaXbReyrvCZ~Jpmamtbtz91l8vExNPJael9SM8Gku11R59wiAkfj9kSt4DXFWz6BScTblbt1Hqyqmlx-Pe-x~8JeCCoVfiUHcvxuHNGUlWgPFqPp6w5MFzjcJFCN1C9jyhINJSpq-H1GOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison Metropolitan School District","date","2025-02-20T13:45:00Z","article","The Madison Metropolitan School District board reviewed the Forward Career and College Academy charter application at a policy workshop on Feb. 20, 2025, receiving a recap of the application, written feedback from district staff and a CTE (career and technical education) overview prepared by the district. No vote was taken; the board will consider formal action at its Feb. 24 regular meeting.

Administration said it followed the district\u001fs standard charter-review process: a multi-person review committee scored the application, staff provided written feedback dated Feb. 13, and the applicant supplied responses. District staff also said they attempted to correct an erroneous state data point the applicants cited and provided a district CTE summary so board members could compare existing programs with the proposal.

Board members repeatedly raised the same three concerns: (1) the application lacked a clear budget and staffing plan; (2) the proposed school\u001fs enrollment size, student recruitment and physical location were not specified enough to assess fiscal impact; and (3) parts of the proposal appeared to replicate career and technical education already offered in district high schools.

\"I was really disappointed by the final proposal,\" Board Member Muldrow said, citing missing details about school size, student origin and location that are crucial for assessing financial and operational impacts. Several board members warned that launching a new high school program is resource-intensive and that small or 2 x charters have in other places struggled to sustain comprehensive secondary programming.

Administrators responded that the district has expanded CTE in recent years and provided examples of industry credentials and programs currently offered across the district, including ASE (automotive), CNA (nursing assistant), Project Lead The Way (engineering/biotech), ServSafe (culinary), phlebotomy and construction credentials, and youth-apprenticeship placements. Cindy, a district staff member involved in CTE, said the district is serving students with a growing number of opportunities and is working to improve state reporting where historical data were inaccurate. The district reported about 60 students currently in youth-apprenticeship placements, a number that has roughly doubled in recent years.

Public comment submitted earlier showed community support for the proposed school; several speakers at prior public meetings emphasized access to workplace training and internships. Board members acknowledged the need for more work‑based pathways while cautioning that the district already operates a broad set of CTE offerings and partnerships and that adding a separate charter without clear enrollment and financial details could create budget and equity concerns.

Why it matters: if approved as an instrumentality or a 2 x charter, the Forward Career and College Academy would affect where district students enroll and how state revenue counts are applied. Staff explained that new students already enrolled in the district do not generate new revenue in the first year under state revenue-limit rules; open‑enrollment students generate different amounts. That uncertainty makes a complete budget model, a clear plan for where students will come from and a staffing plan essential to estimating district fiscal impacts.

Next steps: the board will deliberate and may vote on the application at its Feb. 24 regular meeting. Several board members asked administration to prepare more detailed financial projections tied to possible enrollment and location scenarios before that vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2.19.25 Special Board of Education Meeting in Open Session - WORKSHOP","oneSentenceSummary","The Madison Metropolitan School District board reviewed the Forward Career and College Academy charter application and related CTE materials; board members raised concerns about the proposal\u001fs missing budget, unclear enrollment and possible overlap with district programs.","taxTitle","Madison Metropolitan School District, School Districts, Wisconsin","taxId",14857,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6318197,"MMSD board debates 17% fund‑balance target, reviews procurement, travel and school‑closing policies",3002,88000,3090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367978-6cebd3a6a3053b0101d9689f7bb1b8e8&start=88&end=3090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367978-6cebd3a6a3053b0101d9689f7bb1b8e8/thumbnail_88000.jpg","/articles/6318197/Wisconsin/MMSD-board-debates-17-fundbalance-target-reviews-procurement-travel-and-schoolclosing-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318197-363a55b811b5c9611e0571cba2e555ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1776347948&Signature=J4tptCeYeKAe2wQf3xYxS58mBv~xrPYtQxqsfxCmd4T-ohl3SLID1q7VyJXtnYInMNzMbcfTUihn4fAxC-crZp5sBxqejC3uy3ofvVBsShmhm8mwahm3TDNOHJcHRvf387el18X9vp3s5CmzWJAhlE5v616XQtMDshS93Oqawz3Dx8zpzTQWWb-HwiJ2~VBQWPffbMHoEHt9j-BenJMGDJp-GCA5jYOTqkpT723og1gU7TpESZhz2Xvz9j3vQk4bIhhyENGZ4F7wrujLNEsm7TFGjBYzYRxYmwiI~IllgcSo74S1Y-G3wvaLjm6M~tuFHDDzrfH0snLm9UWsbdVFYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","MMSD Board of Education members discussed proposed changes to several board policies, including a recommendation from staff and the district\u001fs independent auditor to set the unassigned fund balance target at 17 percent.

The board heard the second review of Policy 3031 (school closing/inclement weather), Policy 06/1971 (district fund balance), procurement and bid thresholds (policies 6242/6244), and a travel-reimbursement update. No final votes on those policies were taken; the policies will return for action at a regular board meeting on Monday, Feb. 24.

The nut of the discussion was fund balance. \"The recommendation of 17%...their recommendation is is to increase that,\" Bob, a district finance staff member, told the board, citing WIPFLI\u001fs audit recommendation and the district\u001fs current 2024-25 budgeted position. Bob said the district\u001fs 2024-25 budget is currently projected around a 17% unassigned fund balance and that the recommended change would move the policy from a 10–15% range to a single-number minimum.

Board members split over whether a single-number minimum or a range would be better. Board Member Ali Motro said she would not support a flat 17% minimum and favored a wider range to preserve flexibility: \"I am interested in increasing our fund balance policy to between 12–24%.\" Board Member Nikki said she was concerned a strict minimum could unnecessarily tie the board\u001fs hands when program investments are needed.

Finance staff gave concrete figures to illustrate the trade-offs. Using budgeted numbers discussed at the meeting, a 24% target would raise the unassigned balance from about $86.3 million to roughly $122.1 million (about $35.8 million more); a 12% target would be about $61.0 million (about $25.2 million less). Staff said the district budget currently includes roughly $37 million in federal revenues and that an unexpected loss of those reimbursements could create a roughly $30 million hole, a reason rating agencies and the auditor recommended a more conservative reserve.

Board members also pressed staff about timing and consequences. Bob said rating agencies look for both a written fund-balance policy and evidence the district follows it; higher reserves can reduce short-term borrowing and interest costs, he said. He also noted that revenue-limit funding is phased, so new students generate only partial revenue in the first year.

Other policy items discussed briefly:
- School-closing policy (3031): Staff proposed clarifying that the superintendent makes closure decisions and will \"inform the board\" rather than requiring the superintendent to contact the board president before the public notice. Xavier, a staff member, explained that references to collective‑bargaining agreements were replaced with a reference to the employee handbook.
- Procurement and bid thresholds (6242/6244): Scott, a procurement staff member, proposed raising the contract threshold that requires board consideration to $50,000. Several board members said $50,000 is reasonable; others favored a lower threshold (some urged $35,000–$40,000) to preserve board oversight. Staff said neighboring districts set thresholds in a wide range and offered to provide comparative data.
- Travel reimbursement (policy 8351 revision): Staff proposed aligning policy language with the employee handbook and a monthly submission/approval cadence. Board members asked whether the timing rules belong in policy or in internal procedures and asked staff to consider workload and fairness to employees.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded early in the meeting):
- Approval of minutes from the Special Meeting and Open Session dated Feb. 26, 2024 — motion passed, 6-0.
- Approval of minutes from the Special Meeting and Open Session dated May 6, 2024 — motion passed, 6-0.
- Approval of minutes from the Special Meeting and Open Session dated May 20, 2024 — motion passed, 6-0.

Why it matters: the fund-balance policy determines how much unassigned reserve the district intends to hold. That reserve affects borrowing needs, the ability to absorb unexpected revenue shortfalls (for example, federal reimbursements), and how much discretionary funding is available for programs. Board members asked staff for additional scenario tables and comparative data from other districts before the board establishes a final policy.

Next steps: the revised redlines will return to the board on Feb. 24 for final action; staff and legal counsel will update language to reflect the board\u001fs direction and provide additional comparative and financial analysis.","MMSD Board of Education members discussed proposed changes to several board policies, including a recommendation from staff and the district\u001fs independent auditor to set the unassigned fund balance target at 17 percent.","actionData","errors"]

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Board reviews Forward Career and College Academy charter proposal; members flag gaps on budget, enrollment and overlap with district CTE

MMSD board debates 17% fund‑balance target, reviews procurement, travel and school‑closing policies