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Board members report lobbying for higher special-education funding as new education bills circulate
Summary
At the March 17 meeting the superintendent briefed the board on education bills introduced in the legislature; multiple board members described attending WOSB Day at the Capitol and urged increased special-education reimbursement and per-pupil funding.
The superintendent told the West Allis-West Milwaukee School Board on March 17 that the legislative session has produced a new round of education bills and that board members had taken part in WOSB Day at the Capitol to advocate for increased special-education funding and more equitable per-pupil support.
In the superintendent’s report, staff summarized several categories of bills that have been introduced; the superintendent said the proposals include changes to how referenda operate (including limits on recurring referenda and requirements to include property-tax information on ballots) and other education-related items. No bill numbers were cited in the report.
Board members who attended the Wisconsin Association of School Boards day at the Capitol — the superintendent identified Miss Kiser, Miss Steele, Miss Carr, Mister Lee and Mister Becker among attendees — described meetings with state lawmakers and their staff to press for higher special-education reimbursement and increases in per-pupil, spendable dollars. Miss Steele told the board the district receives about 30¢ on the dollar for special-education costs (she said the statutory reimbursement should be about 33¢), and she urged constituents and parents to contact legislators.
The superintendent also summarized a Marquette Law School poll on education attitudes and noted district lobbying topics included special-education funding and equitable school funding to reduce reliance on referenda.
Several board members described the Capitol visits as productive and said the shared advocacy with other districts — suburban, urban and rural — underscored a statewide interest in the same funding priorities. The board did not take formal action on legislation at the meeting; members said they plan continued outreach with lawmakers and to bring the conversation to future workshops on budget and finance.
Board members who spoke about the Capitol trip thanked district staff for materials and for preparation used in meetings with legislators.
