Senate Democrats Increase Special Education Funding, Provide Relief from Revenue Controls
Senate Democrats Wednesday (June 13, 2001) added "substantial
money" for special education programs and provided relief from
school district revenue controls as they continued to fine-tune the
2001-2003 state budget, Sen. Fred Risser told participants in Wednesday's
public education Lobby Day activities.
Risser rushed from a meeting of the Senate Democratic
Caucus at the Capitol to one of the Lobby Day meetings at the Monona
Terrace Convention Center to deliver the news.
In another major action Wednesday, the caucus voted
to cut per-pupil state aid payments for the Milwaukee private school
voucher program in half and freeze the number of eligible participants
at current levels. The caucus also voted to:
- Fund vouchers as a separate program, meaning Milwaukee Public Schools
would no longer lose state aid to pay for the program.
- Require voucher schools to adopt non-discrimination policies.
- Require voucher schools to give students the same 3rd-grade reading
test required of public school students.
The Senate Democrats, who control the 33-member upper
house, are completing their work on the budget with the goal of passing
the spending plan in the full Senate on Saturday.
The roughly $47 billion package then would head to
the Republican-controlled Assembly where conflicts with the Senate version
are expected.
The budget package being molded by the Senate Democrats
earmarks more funds for special education, including a new $26 million
categorical aid pool for high-cost pupils.
In other budget news, Risser said the caucus added
funds for 4-year-old kindergarten as well as making the school breakfast
program more available.
"And we have added a little bit of flexibility to
the revenue caps with the 1% solution," said Risser.
Under the "1% solution," school boards may
vote to exceed revenue caps by 1% per year without having to go to referendum.
On another matter, the caucus voted to delay the high
school graduation test requirement by two years, so it would begin in
the 2004-2005 school year, and cut aid for charter schools by about
$1,000 per student.
Sen. Robert Wirch, of Kenosha, stressed that the budget
process is far from over.
"This is a bargaining position," Wirch said, referring
to the expected political battles awaiting in the Republican-controlled
Assembly. "And the Assembly will have its turn at the budget next week...
and realize that Speaker (Scott) Jensen will have a completely different
position."
In the meantime, Wirch urged the audience in his meeting
room to confront their federally elected officials for more special
education funding.
Rep. Shirley Krug, of Milwaukee, also cautioned the
audience in her room to expect some changes in the budget before it
clears the Assembly.
"There will be increases in public education funding.
There will be some cutbacks – maybe not in SAGE," she said, adding
in the end it will be up to the leaders of both houses and the conferees
to "duke it out."
After the Senate and Assembly each approve their versions
of the budget, a conference committee of members from each house will
likely be established to iron out the differences. A final document
is scheduled to be sent to McCallum by the end of the state's fiscal
year on June 30.
2,000 lobbyists converge on Madison
Revenue caps have created a crisis, Johnson
says
Cat in the Hat, legislators exhibit value of small
classes
Lobby Day photo gallery
Resource page on 2001-2003 state budget
Posted June 13, 2001