Board reviews preliminary 2025-26 budget scenarios, approves 9% base wage increase for staff

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District Board of Education reviewed preliminary 2025-26 budget scenarios and projections during a workshop and approved a 9% base wage increase for all employee groups during the meeting on April 14, 2025.

The workshop, presented by district finance staff, outlined three scenarios for next year’s general fund depending on state action: a conservative “rollover” case that assumes only the statutory per-pupil increase of $325, a mid-range case with improved special education reimbursement, and a more optimistic case if reimbursement rose to historic levels. District staff emphasized that a $325-per-student increase is the current working assumption and that other state actions remain uncertain.

The presentation explained why special education reimbursement is central to the district’s outlook. At present the district receives roughly 33.3% of special education costs as reimbursement; staff described two technical concepts used in state funding discussions — “some sufficient” (the 33.3% guarantee) versus the amount districts actually receive — and said increasing the reimbursement to 40% would yield roughly $875,000 more for this district while moving to 60% would…