Board delegates report from WASB Legislative Day: special education funding and CPI indexing highlighted

Two board members who attended the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) Legislative Day reported to the Middleton-Cross Plains board on advocacy priorities, meetings with legislators and next steps for local outreach.

Vice President Bob Green and Jim Corsi described trainings and legislative panel briefings that prepared attendees to discuss two primary WASB priorities: increasing state reimbursement for special education costs and indexing per-pupil funding increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to maintain purchasing power.

Jim Corsi said session participants were coached on talking points and met with representatives and senators from the region, noting they asked officials to address delayed state budgeting and the risk that special education costs impose on district general funds. "We were advised to speak to every elected representative we can get to," Corsi said.

Board members reported meeting with several legislators, including Senator Chris Larson, Senator Renee Quinn, Representative Joel Kitchens and Representative Joe Sheehan, and said the panels discussed concerns about perceived "over‑identification" of special education as an argument some legislators are raising. Presenters in the legislative panel told attendees to expect delays in a final state budget and to prepare for interim measures.

The presenters said legislators they met generally recognized the issue and requested more detailed information. WASB recommended asking communities to contact legislators to press for increased special education reimbursement and for indexing future per-pupil adjustments to CPI.

Board members described the exercise as useful and encouraged district families and stakeholders to make their views known to legislators as the budget process continues.