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Superintendent: $50 million in early-literacy funding could lapse; district consulting legal on enforcement visits
Summary
Superintendent said $50 million allocated for mandated reading changes could revert to the state surplus if not released and told parents the district is consulting legal counsel about an executive order concerning outside law-enforcement visits to schools.
The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District superintendent told the board that $50,000,000 allocated for early-literacy work could go into the state’s surplus if the Legislature does not release the funds by June 30.
In a superintendent’s report, Dr. Robinson said the funding was tied to a prior law (Act 20) and that the district is seeking reimbursement for mandated reading changes that remain unfunded. “There’s been a fight, and it’s actually kind of held up in courts to try to figure out how do we fulfill this unmet mandate that’s currently been unfunded,” Dr. Robinson said.
Dr. Robinson also addressed an executive order that some community members have raised concerns about. “We are 100% behind all of the kids at WAWM, and we will respect the rights of our students and our parents,” Dr. Robinson said. “And, if any law enforcement would choose to visit our schools, we would definitely not comply but would warrant the proper notification and identification just as we do with anyone else.” He added that protecting students is the district’s “number one priority.”
Why it matters: The district said it may need to seek reimbursements tied to a statutory program that required districts to make reading-related changes; without state release of the allocated funds the district could face an unfunded mandate and budget pressure. The superintendent said the district will provide further information to parents this week and is consulting legal counsel to ensure the district’s response follows state and federal law.
Background and next steps: Dr. Robinson characterized the state funding question as longstanding, noting that the underlying law and related payments were debated about a year and a half ago and some matters are in court. The board did not take a vote on the funding issue during the meeting; Dr. Robinson said staff will follow up with more information and legal guidance for families.
