West Allis-West Milwaukee board approves preliminary 2025–26 budget, raises fees and renews insurance

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School Board on June 23 approved a preliminary 2025–26 budget and a package of annual routine items, including continuation of the districtwide Community Eligibility Program so all students continue to receive free breakfast and lunch, a 3% annual increase to school fees and renewal of property, liability and workers' compensation insurance.

Board President Burns said the board must adopt a preliminary budget because “spending actually occurs beginning really now post approval,” and the district faces an uncertain state aid picture while the Wisconsin state budget remained unresolved. Superintendent Dr. Robinson told the board the district is planning conservatively and will “roll over what we have as what will be for next year.”

The preliminary levy the board approved is based on the district’s current aid level and other assumptions the administration labeled conservative. Finance staff said the draft levy is about $57.6 million and the administration presented a mill-rate illustration of $7.53 — “about $753 per $100,000 of value,” according to the presentation — but noted those numbers could change if the state budget or equalized property values shift.

Why it matters: the board’s vote sets spending and levy parameters that allow the district to hire, set school budgets and begin next year’s work even though state aid remains unsettled. Administrators said the district is budgeting for a $325-per-pupil state aid increase in the governor’s proposal and is modeling several downside scenarios, including an open-ended voucher cap next year that could increase private school voucher costs for districts.

Key fiscal assumptions and decisions

- State budget…