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Effects of Revenue Caps
on Programs and Services Offered by Wisconsin’s Public
Schools —
1998-1999 School Year |
Significant Findings 1993-94 to 1997-98
- In each of the previous studies, districts with declining
enrollments reported more cost-cutting actions than districts with
increasing or stable student populations. Superintendents from
declining enrollment districts also have been more critical of the
revenue caps than superintendents from districts in which the
student population was stable or increasing. (In the current study
there was no significant correlation between the number or perceived
"severity" of cuts and changes in enrollment).
- Consistently, it has been found that there are no significant
differences among rural/small town, suburban, and urban school
districts as to the number of cost-cutting actions taken. Further,
the number of cuts is unrelated to per pupil spending amounts. This
does not mean that cuts have the same impact in poor and rich
districts, or that all cuts impact students in the same way.
- At the end of the first year of the revenue caps, more than 90%
of superintendents thought the long-term consequences would be
negative. When asked five years later about the effects of the
revenue caps, 64% of superintendents say the effects have been
negative, while 24% say the effects have been "neutral."
- In 1997, superintendents reported that the revenue caps, along
with the Qualified Economic Offer, were having a negative effect on
school employees. Of the more than 200 written comments about
employee morale, all but a few superintendents indicated that morale
had deteriorated since 1993.
- Although cuts have occurred in each of the areas listed in the
questionnaires, districts tended to target five or six areas over
the first five years: - Delaying/reducing purchase of computers and
other technology,
* Spending less for maintenance of
buildings and grounds,
* Spending less for improvements of
buildings and grounds,
* Delaying building maintenance or
improvement projects,
* Increasing administrator workload,
and
* Delaying/reducing hiring of new
staff.
- Responses in 1998 showed that nearly one-half of superintendents
(47.9%) favored repealing the revenue caps. Less than 10% would like
the law to remain in its current form. In addition, eighty-seven
percent of superintendents said they would like school boards to
have more flexibility to exceed the caps. Two-thirds of
superintendents favor keeping the revenue caps if there were greater
increases in spending allowed from year-to-year. Finally, almost
two-thirds of superintendents favor the use of alternative taxes,
such as sales or income taxes, to support public education.
- Responses in 1998 showed that nearly one-half of superintendents
(47.9%) favored repealing the revenue caps. Less than 10% would like
the law to remain in its current form. In addition, eighty-seven
percent of superintendents said they would like school boards to
have more flexibility to exceed the caps. Two-thirds of
superintendents favor keeping the revenue caps if there were greater
increases in spending allowed from year-to-year. Finally, almost
two-thirds of superintendents favor the use of alternative taxes,
such as sales or income taxes, to support public education.
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