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Presenter warns Wisconsin revenue limit will leave schools about $3,500 short per student by 2026
Summary
A district presenter said Wisconsin's per-student revenue limit has not kept pace with inflation since 2010, projecting a shortfall of more than $3,500 per student by 2026 and urging communities to consider local referendums to raise spending caps.
A presenter for the school district said the state's "revenue limit" on per-student spending has not kept pace with rising costs and will leave districts significantly underfunded by 2026.
"By the 2026, the revenue limit will have fallen more than $3,500 per student behind inflation," the Presenter said, citing the gap between state policy and school operating costs. The presenter added that for a district of 1,000 students, that shortfall would amount to roughly $3,500,000.
The statement described the revenue limit as a state policy that caps how much districts can spend per student even if costs rise. The presenter said the cap was adjusted for inflation from 1994 through 2009 but has not been adjusted since 2010, which has widened the gap between available revenue and actual costs.
The presenter warned that the shortfall has forced districts to use general fund dollars to cover student needs, shifting money away from other priorities. "When that happens, we have to use money from our general fund to cover the difference, which means taking dollars from other important needs," the Presenter said, noting staffing is the largest portion of the budget and listing other costs such as curriculum, technology, transportation, operations and maintenance.
Officials and district leaders often respond to those funding limits by seeking additional local resources, the presenter said. "Since the arrival of revenue limits, over 80% of school districts have done so by asking local voters to raise their caps through a referendum," the Presenter said, adding that most districts have used the option multiple times.
The presenter framed local referendums as a way to preserve class sizes, maintain facilities and protect instruction. The statement concluded by urging the community to prioritize students and directing listeners to the district's website for more information.
No formal vote or motion was described in the statement.
