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Directions: Listed below are some actions that school districts have taken to comply with the state revenue caps during the past school year. For each, circle one of the choices available. If your district took no action in 2000-2001, circle "No Action." If your district took action, circle the number which best describes the effects: (1) "Very Negative," (2) "Negative," (3) "No Difference," (4) "Positive," or (5) "Very Positive." If you don't know the effects, circle (6) for "Don't Know." Please answer all questions on this survey.
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Effects of the revenue caps on 27 district
programs and services
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2000-01 school year
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Of those taking action, the % who say it was
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|||||||
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% taking action
|
very neg
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neg
|
no diff
|
posit
|
very posit
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DK
|
|
| Spent less for improvements of buildings andgrounds |
77
|
18
|
61
|
18
|
01
|
02
|
--
|
| Spent less for maintenance of buildings and grounds |
75
|
18
|
57
|
22
|
02
|
02
|
--
|
| Delayed/reduced purchase of computers, other technology |
73
|
19
|
50
|
25
|
04
|
02
|
01
|
| Offered fewer staff development opportunities for teachers |
72
|
18
|
48
|
29
|
04
|
01
|
01
|
| Delayed/reduced purchase of curricular materials |
70
|
19
|
50
|
26
|
05
|
01
|
--
|
| Delayed building maintenance or improvement projects |
69
|
19
|
60
|
19
|
02
|
01
|
-- |
| Reduced purchase of consumable supplies, such as paper |
66
|
12
|
39
|
42
|
06
|
01
|
01
|
| Increased administrator workload |
66
|
24
|
53
|
21
|
02
|
01
|
01
|
| Delayed hiring of new staff |
64
|
17
|
47
|
32
|
03
|
01
|
--
|
| Did not replace departing staff |
61
|
14
|
48
|
31
|
04
|
01
|
02
|
| Offered fewer field trips for students |
60
|
10
|
48
|
38
|
02
|
01
|
01
|
| Increased student fees |
59
|
14
|
39
|
45
|
01
|
01
|
01
|
| Used fund balance to support budget |
57
|
31
|
30
|
34
|
02
|
02
|
01
|
| Increased teacher workload |
56
|
15
|
46
|
36
|
01
|
01
|
01
|
| Increased class sizes |
56
|
20
|
46
|
28
|
05
|
01
|
01
|
| Laid off teacher aides or other support staff |
54
|
28
|
35
|
32
|
03
|
01
|
--
|
| Reduced programs for gifted and talented students |
53
|
21
|
31
|
47
|
01
|
01
|
--
|
| Laid off teachers |
50
|
29
|
26
|
42
|
02
|
01
|
01
|
| Offered fewer courses |
49
|
12
|
34
|
53
|
01
|
01
|
--
|
| Reduced programs for students who are at risk |
48
|
17
|
27
|
51
|
04
|
02
|
--
|
| Reduced transportation services for students |
48
|
15
|
23
|
57
|
04
|
02
|
--
|
| Reduced extracurricular programs |
46
|
12
|
24
|
60
|
03
|
01
|
01
|
| Reduced counseling or similar services |
45
|
19
|
22
|
55
|
03
|
01
|
01
|
| Reduced summer school programs |
43
|
12
|
22
|
58
|
06
|
01
|
02
|
| Laid off administrators/supervisors |
42
|
22
|
13
|
58
|
04
|
01
|
02
|
| Reduced number of academic courses offered to students |
41
|
04
|
27
|
66
|
01
|
02
|
--
|
| Reduced courses in art, music, theater, band, etc. |
38
|
04
|
20
|
73
|
01
|
01
|
01
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28. If your district has eliminated, reduced, or decided not to offer certain classes, programs, or services, please list some specific examples below (See appendix).
29. Does your district's census predict decreasing, increasing, or about
the same enrollment over the next 4-5 years?
16% Increase
If an increase, estimate the percent increase: 2.5%
55% Decrease
If a decrease, estimate the percent decrease: -5.5%
28% About the same
1% Not sure
30. State law allows districts to exceed the revenue caps by passing
a referendum. What is your opinion of this policy?
(See appendix)
DIRECTIONS: For questions 31 - 33, circle the number that best expresses your opinion.
|
Very Pos
|
Pos
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No Diff
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Neg
|
Very Neg
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Don't Know
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|
| What has been the effect of the revenue controls on the overall quality of education provided by your district? |
0%
|
1%
|
26%
|
60%
|
12%
|
1%
|
| What has been the effect of the revenue controls on your district's capacity to hire and retain quailty: | ||||||
| Administrators |
0%
|
1%
|
55%
|
32%
|
10%
|
1%
|
| Teachers |
0%
|
2%
|
42%
|
42%
|
13%
|
1%
|
| Substitutes |
0%
|
1%
|
60%
|
28%
|
11%
|
1%
|
| ESP |
0%
|
1%
|
63%
|
26%
|
9%
|
1%
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Directions: Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with statements 34-44 by circling the appropriate number.
| Stong. agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Stong. disagree | |
| Keep the revenue caps law as it is - make no changes for the forseeable future. |
1%
|
1%
|
8%
|
38%
|
52%
|
| Keep the revenue caps in place, but allow greater increases in spending from year to year. |
9%
|
53%
|
16%
|
14%
|
8%
|
| Change the revenue caps law to allow school boards greater flexibility to exceed the cap. |
47%
|
40%
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6%
|
4%
|
4%
|
| Repeal the revenue caps law. |
19%
|
20%
|
31%
|
23%
|
8%
|
| Require the State of Wisconsin to pay a greater proportion of the costs of educating special needs children. |
59%
|
31%
|
5%
|
3%
|
3%
|
| It is important to the long-term health of public schools that Wisconsin change the way it funds education |
40%
|
34%
|
18%
|
5%
|
3%
|
| As a result of the revenue caps, my district has reduced services for regular education students in order to meet the needs of special education students. |
18%
|
39%
|
25%
|
14%
|
4%
|
| It is likely that my district will seek to pass a referendum for operating expenses in the next two or three years. |
20%
|
28%
|
21%
|
20%
|
10%
|
| The current state aid formula does a good job of equalizing educational opportunities for all students statewide. |
4%
|
11%
|
16%
|
44%
|
25%
|
| The average citizen in my community has a good understanding of the way the revenue caps are affecting the local schools. |
2%
|
7%
|
5%
|
44%
|
43%
|
| The fiscal viability of my district will be in serious jeopardy if there are no changes in the revenue caps in the next 3-5 years. |
38%
|
35%
|
16%
|
8%
|
3%
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45. Assume that the overall educational quality in your district is the number "8" on a ten point scale (with 10 being the highest). Give the current and projected trends in revenues, enrollment, and student demographics, what number do you think will describe the quality of education in 2006? Circle a number from 1 (very poor) to 10 (very high).
| 1 |
0%
|
| 2 |
3%
|
| 3 |
6%
|
| 4 |
15%
|
| 5 |
21%
|
| 6 |
22%
|
| 7 |
13%
|
| 8 |
13%
|
| 9 |
6%
|
| 10 |
1%
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46. In your opinion, what has been the most significant effect of revenue
controls on your school district? (See appendix)
47. Any additional comments about revenue caps or the funding of public
education in Wisconsin? (See appendix)
48. What is the name of your district? (For accounting purposes only)
49. Last year, approximately one-half of superintendents (124 in all)
who returned questionnaires agreed to share their responses to this questionnaire
with the general public. Their responses were included in a booklet that
profiled the effects of the revenue caps on 124 districts. Would you be
willing to share your responses to this questionnaire by having them included
in a booklet along with the responses of other participating superintendents?
69% Yes 31% No