By Michael Bonds, Ph.D.
President, Milwaukee Board of School Directors
Dr. Michael Bonds
In just a few weeks, the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau will unveil its view of the financial impact of Governor Scott Walker’s proposed biennial budget. Educators around Wisconsin already have a clear idea of the impact the Governor’s budget will have on education, and it’s devastating.
The Governor’s proposed budget cuts $150 of per pupil aid in the first year of his budget for a total reduction of $127 million to school districts in the state.
In addition to this straight cut, school districts also will not receive any inflationary increase to help manage increasing costs. For Milwaukee Public Schools, the per pupil cut decreases funding by $12.1 million and the lack of inflationary increases amounts to another $11 million for a total reduction of $23.1 million in funding from the current school year.
This week the Milwaukee Board of School Directors will consider an important statement on behalf of the children of Milwaukee.
MPS Board member Larry Miller, who represents Board District 5, is sponsoring a resolution to make sure Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Legislator know about the concerns the Milwaukee Board of School Directors has about the Governor’s proposed budget.
Director Miller’s resolution points out how MPS will be harmed by the Governor’s plan and the dollars that would be lost at a critical time when MPS is making progress improving student achievement.
The resolution also makes an important observation, one that other districts are also making – Governor Walker never mentioned the cut to public schools during his budget address, which was televised across the state of Wisconsin.
Governor Walker did note the state will allocate $319 in school-levy credits and increased general aid. But because there is no corresponding increase in the revenue limit, these dollars won’t be available for schools to meet increasing educational costs.
The dollars will help to lower property taxes about $5 a year for the average homeowner, but this slight reduction comes at the expense of maintaining and building quality educational systems for Wisconsin’s future.
In Director Miller’s resolution, which I will support, the Board will join with other school districts and strongly encourage the Governor and the Wisconsin State Legislature to increase funding for public education.
This would mean restoring the cuts the Governor has proposed and providing for inflationary revenue increases in both years of the biennial budget.
Other school districts around the state are also drafting similar resolutions expressing their concern and calling on legislators to restore adequate funding to public schools.
Already some legislators, including Republican members of the Governor’s own party, have balked at these cuts to public education.
We would ask these representatives to do more than be concerned. We need these legislators to listen to the voice of board members, parents and students around Wisconsin and act to restore adequate funding to public schools.