MADISON (AP) - Public school spending in Wisconsin tracked the national average during the five-year period that ended in 2012, despite massive cuts in 2011, a report released Monday by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance said.
The report looked at school spending changes during the five years that included the Great Recession, the state's recovery from that, and Gov. Scott Walker's first two years in office.
The report finds that while Wisconsin schools incurred financial hits during that time, including the dramatic budget fight in 2011 that led to massive protests in the Capitol, other states had already been making similar cuts to deal with the recession.
Wisconsin dropped from 15th highest in per student spending in 2008 to 21st highest in 2012, the Taxpayers Alliance report showed. However, total spending growth of 3.4 percent during those five years matched the U.S. average and ranked Wisconsin 30th among all 50 states.
The state's support for public schools was volatile between 2008 and 2012 as it tried to deal with a loss in revenue caused by the recession. Wisconsin tapped roughly $550 million of federal stimulus money to help pay for public schools in 2009, then reduced aid by $200 million in 2010. There was no increase in 2011.
When Walker became governor in 2011, faced with a $3.6 billion budget shortfall, he ignited a political firestorm by proposing to both cut aid to schools further while also effectively eliminating collective bargaining and forcing teachers and public workers to pay more for their benefits.
Walker and the Republican Legislature cut aid to schools by more than $400 million and reduced school revenue limits by 5.5 percent for 2012. To help schools deal with the cuts, Walker required teachers and other public employees to pay more for their pension and health care benefits, reducing the costs to schools. That mandate was contained in the law known as Act 10, which also effectively eliminated collective bargaining for most public workers.
The report also showed:
n Wisconsin lost school staff at nearly three times the national average, dropping 3.3 percent in the state compared with 1.2 percent for the national average, between 2008 and 2012. Over that time, 26 states cut staff, with 13 making bigger reductions than Wisconsin.
n Total compensation for Wisconsin school workers, which combines salary and benefits, dropped 5.4 percent between 2011 and 2012, when the provisions of Act 10 were fully felt. However, due to previous increases total compensation rose in Wisconsin by 6 percent between 2008 and 2012, compared with 4.9 percent nationally.
n Wisconsin ranked 12th nationally in staff compensation in 2012, even after the higher pension and health insurance contribution requirements took effect. However, average benefits in Wisconsin over the five years were basically unchanged while they increased 11.8 percent nationwide. Wisconsin ranked 10th in average benefits in 2012, down from sixth in 2008.
The report looked at school spending changes during the five years that included the Great Recession, the state's recovery from that, and Gov. Scott Walker's first two years in office.
The report finds that while Wisconsin schools incurred financial hits during that time, including the dramatic budget fight in 2011 that led to massive protests in the Capitol, other states had already been making similar cuts to deal with the recession.
Wisconsin dropped from 15th highest in per student spending in 2008 to 21st highest in 2012, the Taxpayers Alliance report showed. However, total spending growth of 3.4 percent during those five years matched the U.S. average and ranked Wisconsin 30th among all 50 states.
The state's support for public schools was volatile between 2008 and 2012 as it tried to deal with a loss in revenue caused by the recession. Wisconsin tapped roughly $550 million of federal stimulus money to help pay for public schools in 2009, then reduced aid by $200 million in 2010. There was no increase in 2011.
When Walker became governor in 2011, faced with a $3.6 billion budget shortfall, he ignited a political firestorm by proposing to both cut aid to schools further while also effectively eliminating collective bargaining and forcing teachers and public workers to pay more for their benefits.
Walker and the Republican Legislature cut aid to schools by more than $400 million and reduced school revenue limits by 5.5 percent for 2012. To help schools deal with the cuts, Walker required teachers and other public employees to pay more for their pension and health care benefits, reducing the costs to schools. That mandate was contained in the law known as Act 10, which also effectively eliminated collective bargaining for most public workers.
The report also showed:
n Wisconsin lost school staff at nearly three times the national average, dropping 3.3 percent in the state compared with 1.2 percent for the national average, between 2008 and 2012. Over that time, 26 states cut staff, with 13 making bigger reductions than Wisconsin.
n Total compensation for Wisconsin school workers, which combines salary and benefits, dropped 5.4 percent between 2011 and 2012, when the provisions of Act 10 were fully felt. However, due to previous increases total compensation rose in Wisconsin by 6 percent between 2008 and 2012, compared with 4.9 percent nationally.
n Wisconsin ranked 12th nationally in staff compensation in 2012, even after the higher pension and health insurance contribution requirements took effect. However, average benefits in Wisconsin over the five years were basically unchanged while they increased 11.8 percent nationwide. Wisconsin ranked 10th in average benefits in 2012, down from sixth in 2008.