Waunakee to Withdraw from Dane County School Consortium; District to Manage Youth Apprenticeship Grant Directly

Michelle, the district's career-and-technical education leader and Youth Apprenticeship coordinator, told the Waunakee Community School District Board on April 7 that the Dane County School Consortium (DCSC) has been unable to secure a fiscal agent and cannot continue operating after June 30 unless one appears.

The board voted to accept Michelle's recommendation to withdraw from the consortium and support dissolving it so the district can receive Youth Apprenticeship grant funding directly through the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin. The board also approved staff requests to provide operational support, including hiring a part-time administrative assistant to process apprenticeship paperwork and data.

The decision matters because the state-funded Youth Apprenticeship program supports students placed in employer-mentored pathways to high-skill, high-demand careers. Michelle told the board Waunakee's Youth Apprenticeship enrollment has grown from about 31 students in 2010 to 72 this school year and that conservatively the district expects roughly 85 students next year. She said Waunakee now has the largest number of youth apprentices among Dane County districts.

Under the consortium model the workforce development board writes and submits the grant, while a fiscal agent—the consortium previously routed funding through Monona Grove's designated funds—managed reimbursements and shared costs. Michelle said the consortium recently reimbursed districts roughly $450 per senior while the state grant's reimbursement level has averaged about $900'$950 per student in recent years (full funding is $1,100 per student when awarded). She said some consortium-held funds, including about $35,000 identified for Waunakee, are currently held in Monona Grove's designated account and that district leaders hope designated balances will be transferred back to local districts after dissolution.

Michelle outlined operational changes the district will assume if it withdraws: the district will work directly with the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin, which will charge a roughly 5 percent administrative fee to manage grant reimbursements. The district will gain more direct control over related-course approvals and receive grant reimbursements for students once they are placed in the program rather than only when they complete the program. She also said some costs previously borne by the high school or school-to-career budget'for example, CNA class fees and mileage for site visits'could be charged to the grant budget going forward.

Board members asked about staffing and budget implications. Michelle told the board she expects to need at least a part-time administrative assistant to handle data entry and paperwork for apprenticeships; she said the proposed grant budget already includes a line for support personnel plus funds earmarked for biotech and vet-tech classes, CNA testing, mileage and recognition events. The board discussed the timing and the remaining April meeting of the consortium; Michelle said the consortium's bylaws require a 90-day notification timeline and that the consortium meeting on April 11 would address formal dissolution steps.

A motion to accept Michelle's recommendation and to provide the requested local support passed without recorded opposition; a board member noted the district will follow up with other superintendents and the April consortium meeting to ensure any designated funds are distributed to member districts.

Board members and staff discussed transition items such as memoranda of understanding with training partners named by Michelle (UW Health, UW veterinary programs and a local biotech training provider), and emphasized that local coordinators will manage related coursework approvals for students with special education or English-learner needs. Michelle also said the district will assume responsibilities previously handled centrally by the consortium, such as student application processing, site visits (about three to four per student per year), and local recognition events.

Michelle and the board stressed that while the change will increase operational work for the district's apprenticeship lead, it also yields higher projected grant revenues, fewer district overhead costs to external consortium fees, and more direct local control over program implementation.

Ending: Board members complimented Michelle's leadership, approved the recommendation, and directed staff to continue coordinating with the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin and other Dane County districts to ensure a smooth transition and to pursue return of designated grant funds currently held by Monona Grove.