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State aid posted; finance committee says DPI numbers will determine whether back pay and raises move forward
Summary
The committee heard Oct. 15 that state aid figures from the Department of Public Instruction will shape the district levy and the administration’s ability to finalize teacher raises and back pay; staff reiterated referendum commitments and said they hope to have a final position in 2–3 weeks.
The Wauwatosa School District Finance & Resource Committee on Oct. 15 heard that the Department of Public Instruction’s release of 2025–26 state aid figures will determine how much the district can commit to teacher pay increases and back pay.
At the meeting, a staff member told the committee that the district had anticipated roughly a 15% drop in state aid in its planning and that the final DPI numbers — released the same day — would shape the levy that the board will vote on later this month. “Today is the day that… Mister Ecker receives the final number for aid from the Department of Public Instruction,” the staff member said, adding that the administration would need several days to “crunch the numbers.”
Why it matters: state aid affects the district’s revenue cap and how much revenue must come from property taxes versus the state. That calculation directly affects the pool of funds available to meet previously stated referendum commitments and any additional salary increases the teachers’ union requests.
Administrators reiterated the district’s referendum commitments, noting the district pledged at least $2,000,000 in teacher compensation annually for the next four years and an average of $1,000,000 per year for curricular adoption (a total of roughly $4,000,000 over four years). A staff member said the district had presented an offer to the teachers’ union, but the union had asked for a larger package.
“How do we get to a decision?” a committee member asked, pressing the administration for a clear timeline. The staff member said the district’s fiscal team — including the director of finance and the staff member who will present DPI numbers — will review the aid figures and present a recommended position to the board within days. The staff member said the administration’s goal remains to provide teachers with their back pay and new salaries “around the holiday season” if the board authorizes the necessary funding.
The district is also prioritizing replenishing fund balance and meeting referendum commitments before considering further increases to the teacher-pay line. Staff said the budget process will first account for returning a targeted amount to fund balance and covering the projected curricular-adoption costs; any remaining surplus would then be evaluated for possible additional salary funding.
What’s next: staff said they expect to present a final levy memorandum to the board around Oct. 27 (with a possible one- or two-day delay to ensure accuracy) and to provide the committee with an update after the finance team finalizes numbers.
The committee did not take formal action on salaries at the meeting; members asked for updates and asked staff to return with specific figures and timing.
