Walker To Unveil 'Dramatic' Plans To Help Rural Schools
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker promised Wednesday that he has plans to "dramatically help rural schools in the state of Wisconsin," but he's not saying yet exactly what he will propose.
Walker initially said in a speech to the Wisconsin Credit Union that he would be revealing more details about his plans during stops Thursday at schools across the state. Half an hour after Walker announces stops for Wauzeka, Hilbert, Crandon and Stanley, the governor's office canceled the tour. Walker has a cold, his spokesman Tom Even said, and details of his rural school plans will be released later. He didn't say when.
Before he canceled the tour Walker's office provided an outline of what he was to talk about to Kim Kaukl, executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, which represents about 144 schools. Kaukl provided the outline to The Associated Press.
According to the list, Walker was to discuss sparsity aid that targets rural school, transportation aid for rural schools, expanding broadband internet access, administrative efficiency and initiatives to "improve the teacher pipeline."
Rural schools have been advocating for years for more money to address teacher shortages, declining enrollment, increasing transportation costs and to make investments in technology such as high-speed broadband internet access.
State Superintendent Tony Evers proposed a number of steps to help rural schools in his budget proposal submitted to Walker last year. Those included $5.5 million to provide $750 grants per-teacher in sparsely populated districts, $7.7 million in aid for the most rural districts and $10.4 million to reimburse rural transportation costs.
Evers' spokesman, Tom McCarthy, said he did not know what Walker may be proposing on Thursday.
"I hope it's a lot more money," said Republican Rep. Rob Swearingen, of Rhinelander, a leader on rural school issues in the Legislature. As for what Walker may propose, "I haven't heard a word," Swearingen said.
Republicans who control the state Assembly also promised to explore ways to expand broadband internet access for rural schools and provide more aid to rural districts in recreational areas with high property values that result in less state aid. Public school advocates have also been pushing for more money for mental health services, summer school programs and school consolidations.
Walker said Wednesday that the state budget he releases on Feb. 8 will help all schools in the state, but it will "dramatically help rural schools in Wisconsin so that every student in every community in every zip code in this state can have access to a great education."
He said rural schools face unique needs like transportation and technology costs together with declining enrollment, which typically results in schools losing state aid. Walker has previously promised to "significantly" increase state aid for all 424 public K-12 schools, but hasn't said by how much.
Walker's comments, together with an improved state budget forecast released earlier this month, have led to increased optimism among public school advocates that the next state budget will bolster funding and address high-needs areas like rural schools.
Walker has said he would increase revenue limits, backed by increased state funding, to allow districts to spend more without voter approval.
In the past three years, 140 school referendums have been approved to exceed the revenue limit, based on data from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. That includes 58 in 2016, most of which were in rural parts of the state.
The top priority for the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance is a $300 per-student revenue limit increase. Other school groups, along with Evers, are asking for $200 per student. A $200 per-student increase would cost about $500 million over two years — or roughly the entire amount of new revenue that the state is projected to bring in above an earlier forecast.
Walker has said whatever he proposes will be less than a $200 increase per student.
Walker's proposed budget will undergo changes by the Republican-controlled state Legislature over the next several months before it's passed, likely sometime around July. Walker can then make further changes with his broad veto authority before signing it into law.
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