Loss of aid, unfunded mandates worry School Board members
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
As State Rep. and Assembly Majority Leader Robin Vos walked into Monday night’s Burlington Area School District question-and-answer session, he didn’t notice the spot saved for him at the front table.
But after sitting down there and making an initial presentation on the state’s budget process, Vos found himself on the spot as School Board members asked a number of questions about how Gov. Scott Walker will be funding public schools.
Vos’ stop Monday night was one of a number he is making. He stayed at the BASD School Board meeting for about 45 minutes, and then had to travel to Union Grove for its board meeting.
Vos said the point of the meetings is to sit down face-to-face and discuss the process with area school boards.
“I go to every school district and every school board to answer questions,” said Vos of his district.
After handing out a large packet of information breaking down the budget, Vos fielded questions from each of the board members.
It started with Larry Anderson, who didn’t ask a question so much as state his opinion that too much state budget is being invested in the school voucher plan. Anderson also said that, while the state government has allowed districts that have under-levied in the past to raise taxes, there is a strong force in the Burlington community against raising taxes.
Combined with the lost state aid over the last few years, Anderson stated, “This is a heck of a lot bigger slope than you’re thinking it is.”
Rosanne Hahn, who was at the Day at the Capitol event for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards two weeks ago, said that the state government’s budgeting of money to charter schools concerns her.
“That concerns me as a taxpayer and a person interested in education,” said Hahn, who also wanted to see the education portion of the budget broken out and better explained.
Vos said that dealing with each portion of the budget separately would be difficult, given that each part is, in essence, interrelated.
By putting it all together, Vos said, “it just means you have to make choices.”
Bill Campbell wanted to know if the promised $150 increase of state aid per student coming out of the senate would become reality. Vos said it seemed to be more political promise than anything else, noting that those discussing that option didn’t know where the money would come from.
“I’m not going to spend money if I don’t know where it’s coming from,” said Vos. Campbell also pointed out the issues with even the idea of raising taxes a small amount in the district, to which Vos said he’d heard that complaint a lot.
Phil Ketterhagen brought up the question of unfunded mandates, saying the state is working with common core standards and various other ideas to improve schooling – but passing the costs for it onto the district. Ketterhagen added that, “I don’t like being told from a federal standpoint … what we can do.”
Roger Koldeway questioned revenue limits, and said that districts that are controlling their spending are being punished. Vos again raised the idea of increasing the tax levy, which met with resistance.
School Board President David Thompson didn’t ask any specific questions, but indicated he communicates on a regular basis with Vos.
And BASD Superintendent Peter Smet said he is concerned with the idea of “scholarships” being awarded to have special education students seek out the education they need. Already, Smet said, there are 17 students with Individualized Education Plans – or IEPs – in the district who are not following them by choosing to go to private schools.
Smet was concerned about losing further funds if the scholarship money comes out of the public school funding. Vos said it is a separate allocation, but couldn’t confirm whether that statement was completely accurate, as it might just apply to the Milwaukee Public Schools.
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I did attend this school board meeting, and was so disappointed in Robin’s “presentation”. He had the gall to tell our school board the solution to our problems is to raise taxes. Then he went on to show us all how little he knows about Walker’s plan, which he stands behind.
The graphs and “facts” he presented in his info packet did not have any stats past 2010….hmmm.
What has happened since 2010?
Thanks for nothing Robin!
Sometimes politicians do things just so they can refer back to it during a campaign. Robin Vos will say, “I visit every school board in my district annually.” The visit doesn’t even have to be a success or even helpful (stats from 2010) because it is just a ploy. Ploy: a cunning plan designed to turn a situation to one’s own advantage. The dictionary also says: Synonyms “trick”
I think that moderates, both Republican and Democrats, are seeing through these actions more and more. We are learning to dig deeper and not just follow party lines. We do not like being played.
EXACTLY!!!
His only answer was raising taxes because the board is unwilling to use the tools given to them by Act 10 to reduce the budget. There is absolutely no excuse for any tax increase by this school board.
Act 10 just allows the state to cut funding and pass the buck back to the local municipalities and school districts. Either the locals have to cut programs and staff, or raise taxes. The local people become the scapegoats instead of Walker, Vos, and the Fitzgerald brothers. Shame on Vos for screwing over his local community and his alma mater.
Rep. Vos is 100% wrong about the $21 million for special needs vouchers (“scholarships”) being a separate appropriation. The funding comes directly out of public-school monies. Here is the quote from the DPI budget summary on the DOA web site at http://www.doa.state.wi.us/debf/docview.asp?budid=92 — “The net fiscal impact of the program is $0, as the scholarship is funded through a deduction in the resident school district’s equalization aid.”