DPI Unveils Budget Proposal
Professional staff development, safe schools, challenging academic standards,
student assessment, and minority student achievement are some of the priorities
in the budget proposal unveiled by State Superintendent John Benson.
The two-year budget plan includes requests for a Wisconsin Staff Development
Program to “be sure teachers are best prepared to respond to raised
expectations for children,” according to Benson. The program would
include consultant services and workshops for educators.
Benson is also proposing a safe schools initiative involving grants to
school districts to implement prevention and crisis intervention activities.
The budget requests more than $10 million over the next two years to develop
and administer a state high school graduation test.
Benson is seeking more than $5 million to continue administering the
Wisconsin Student Assessment System Knowledge and Concepts Examinations;
and to develop and administer the 4th and 8th grade retention examinations
as required under the state’s new no-social-promotion law for those
two grades.
“WEAC is pleased to see the department’s continuing emphasis
on the quality of education for all students,” WEAC Executive Director
Don Krahn said.
Posted September 11, 1998