MADISON - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker recently announced additional sparsity aid payments for the 2018-19 school year under proposed legislation.
This change will help offset the challenges faced by the following area school districts:
• Albany school district, current estimated increase $43,874
• Juda School District, current estimated increase $25,869
• Monticello School District, current estimated increase $40,460
State Rep. John Nygren of Marinette and Sen. Howard Marklein are authoring Senate Bill 690, which increases sparsity aid by $6.4 million for the 2018-19 school year. The bill provides an increase from $300 per pupil to $400 for districts that currently qualify.
The Sparsity Aid Program aims to offset the challenges faced by low-population school districts through providing $300 in per-pupil funding for school districts with 745 students or less and a population density of less than 10 students per square mile.
Investments from the governor's budget supporting rural school districts include: increased funding for high-cost transportation aid to help offset the increased cost of transporting students to schools in rural areas; broadband expansion grants providing schools and students access to fast, reliable internet service in underserved areas, as well as mobile hotspots for school buses; and $6.65 million to address students' mental health needs.
These initiatives are in addition to the $11.5 billion for K-12 education included in the 2017-19 state budget that provides a $200-per-student funding increase in every school in the state this year, plus an additional increase of $204 per student next year.
This change will help offset the challenges faced by the following area school districts:
• Albany school district, current estimated increase $43,874
• Juda School District, current estimated increase $25,869
• Monticello School District, current estimated increase $40,460
State Rep. John Nygren of Marinette and Sen. Howard Marklein are authoring Senate Bill 690, which increases sparsity aid by $6.4 million for the 2018-19 school year. The bill provides an increase from $300 per pupil to $400 for districts that currently qualify.
The Sparsity Aid Program aims to offset the challenges faced by low-population school districts through providing $300 in per-pupil funding for school districts with 745 students or less and a population density of less than 10 students per square mile.
Investments from the governor's budget supporting rural school districts include: increased funding for high-cost transportation aid to help offset the increased cost of transporting students to schools in rural areas; broadband expansion grants providing schools and students access to fast, reliable internet service in underserved areas, as well as mobile hotspots for school buses; and $6.65 million to address students' mental health needs.
These initiatives are in addition to the $11.5 billion for K-12 education included in the 2017-19 state budget that provides a $200-per-student funding increase in every school in the state this year, plus an additional increase of $204 per student next year.