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The State Assembly Saturday (June 30, 2001) adopted a biennial budget that conflicts sharply with one passed earlier by the Senate. The Assembly budget fails to support great schools.
The Assembly version of the budget stops short of providing children with classrooms that work, does little to maintain great staff in our public schools, and expands programs that will not benefit everyone in the community.
The Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled Assembly immediately began a process for resolving differences between their budget proposals, but observers speculated it could be weeks to months before a final budget is passed on to the governor.
The Legislature was scheduled to complete the budget by June 30, but two years ago, the process was not completed until October. In the interim, current laws and funding policies prevail.
WEAC has joined parents, administrators, local school board members and other supporters of public education to make sure the Legislature makes education a top priority in the budget.
Thousands have lobbied their legislators asking for continued K-3 class size reduction, added flexibility under revenue caps, a fair level of reimbursement for special education costs and support for early childhood learning opportunities.
The Senate version is much more supportive of public education than the Assembly version.
On the postive side, the Assembly maintained inflationary adjustments under revenue caps and provided 40% funding of summer school program costs. It also adopted full funding for the SAGE, K-3 class size reduction program.
These items were included in the Joint Finance Committee version of the budget and are supported by WEAC. However, the Assembly version of the budget failed to achieve many of the other priorities needed to provide every kid with a great school.
The Assembly proposal caps state spending on school building projects at $306 million annually over the next two years, expands the Milwaukee private school voucher program, and cuts funding for 4-year-old kindergarten programs.
It does little to ease the impact of state-imposed revenue caps, which limit the amount of money school districts are entitled to receive in state aids and property taxes, and are keeping many school districts from providing classrooms that work.
Districts are being forced to delay spending on necessities such as building maintenance and the purchase of computers and other technology. They have also cut or eliminated important programs and services for kids.
The State Senate acted on its version of the budget earlier in June.
Highlights of Senate budget package:
Private school vouchers:
One of the more controversial components of the Senate budget is a
plan to make major changes in the Milwaukee Voucher program. These changes
include:
The Assembly, on the other hand, voted to expand the Milwaukee private school voucher program.
Assembly Republican budget proposal
Posted June 29, 2001; Updated July 3, 2001