MADISON - Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, has an education plan to help school district, but the Democratic leadership in the Assembly said there might not be enough time for the legislation to make it through committee before the legislative session ends.
In a press release issued last week, Davis said he's moving forward.
"Our schools and property taxpayers can no longer afford the status quo," Davis said.
He hopes to garner enough cosponsors to bring the plan to the Assembly's Education Committee within the next few days.
A representative from Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts' office said there won't be time for a bill to be discussed in the committee. The Assembly session ends April 22.
Pope-Roberts, D-Middleton, is chairman of the Assembly's Education Committee.
Davis said the committee could be called back into session after the it ends.
"There's still time," he said.
The five points of Davis' education plan include:
• Restoring the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) and align it with revenue limits. In 1993, the state implemented a law that required districts to offer teachers a minimum 3.8 percent increase in wages and benefits. The state-mandated revenue limit was 2.5 percent. The Legislature got rid of the QEO in the last budget. Davis wants to bring back the QEO, but make it closer to the 2.5 percent revenue limit. The decision to increase wages and benefits above the QEO remains in the hands of the school districts.
• Restore arbitration factors. The plan would allow arbitrators to look at the economic surroundings before ruling in an arbitration case. Davis said it would provide a more realistic approach to the process to take into account area economic factors.
• Reduce property taxes by restoring the two-thirds funding. The state would return to funding two-thirds of education. The amount has decreased over the years due to tighter state budgets.
• Reduce health care costs. The plan would allow districts to bid out for lower insurance rather than using the Wisconsin Education Association insurance plan for teachers. Some districts and teachers have opted out of the plan during contract negotiations. Other districts haven't. Davis said there are estimates that schools across the state could save millions of dollars by choosing another insurance plan.
• Implement school efficiency incentives. The idea, Davis said, is to make it easier for school district to consolidate, if the districts determine that is in their best interests. As an example, Davis said if two districts want to consolidate, the district taxpayers with the lower tax rates would see an immediate increase in their taxes because they would assume the district's tax rate. The plan would allow the tax rates to gradually increase over a period of several years.
"I'm hoping the ideas we're putting forth this week will spark discussion on education reform," Davis said.
Davis said the legislation will give school boards the tools needed to budget responsibly and control costs.
There are 25 school districts going to referendum in April, including Brodhead and Black Hawk.
"We need to act," Davis said, referring to the Assembly.
In a press release issued last week, Davis said he's moving forward.
"Our schools and property taxpayers can no longer afford the status quo," Davis said.
He hopes to garner enough cosponsors to bring the plan to the Assembly's Education Committee within the next few days.
A representative from Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts' office said there won't be time for a bill to be discussed in the committee. The Assembly session ends April 22.
Pope-Roberts, D-Middleton, is chairman of the Assembly's Education Committee.
Davis said the committee could be called back into session after the it ends.
"There's still time," he said.
The five points of Davis' education plan include:
• Restoring the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) and align it with revenue limits. In 1993, the state implemented a law that required districts to offer teachers a minimum 3.8 percent increase in wages and benefits. The state-mandated revenue limit was 2.5 percent. The Legislature got rid of the QEO in the last budget. Davis wants to bring back the QEO, but make it closer to the 2.5 percent revenue limit. The decision to increase wages and benefits above the QEO remains in the hands of the school districts.
• Restore arbitration factors. The plan would allow arbitrators to look at the economic surroundings before ruling in an arbitration case. Davis said it would provide a more realistic approach to the process to take into account area economic factors.
• Reduce property taxes by restoring the two-thirds funding. The state would return to funding two-thirds of education. The amount has decreased over the years due to tighter state budgets.
• Reduce health care costs. The plan would allow districts to bid out for lower insurance rather than using the Wisconsin Education Association insurance plan for teachers. Some districts and teachers have opted out of the plan during contract negotiations. Other districts haven't. Davis said there are estimates that schools across the state could save millions of dollars by choosing another insurance plan.
• Implement school efficiency incentives. The idea, Davis said, is to make it easier for school district to consolidate, if the districts determine that is in their best interests. As an example, Davis said if two districts want to consolidate, the district taxpayers with the lower tax rates would see an immediate increase in their taxes because they would assume the district's tax rate. The plan would allow the tax rates to gradually increase over a period of several years.
"I'm hoping the ideas we're putting forth this week will spark discussion on education reform," Davis said.
Davis said the legislation will give school boards the tools needed to budget responsibly and control costs.
There are 25 school districts going to referendum in April, including Brodhead and Black Hawk.
"We need to act," Davis said, referring to the Assembly.