Notes

Slide Show

Outline

1	Financing Quality Education March 3, 2005 Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools www.excellentschools.org – (414) 384-9094
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3	An example of why schools are so desperate for funds
4	Where school funds come from
5	Where school funds come from
6	School crisis: Blame game
7	The solution is in Madison
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9	State funding mechanism: Convoluted, inadequate, unfair
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11	Why “Adequacy?”
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13	The goal: a fair and adequate funding system
14	Details of the Wisconsin Adequacy Plan
15	Reality: The current state budget In 2003, state abolishes its commitment to fund “two-thirds” of school spending State aid in 2003-’05 is short $450 million from its previous commitment Again, no increase in funding for students with special needs.
16	Gov. Doyle: The 2005-’07 budget
17	Legislature: The 2005-’07 budget
18	Some want to slash funding Some legislators want to pass a law and/or a constitutional amendment to shrink state and local governments, including public schools. Their view is summarized in the misnamed Taxpayer Bill of Rights (known as TABOR) TABOR would hurt schools and every branch of government
19	TABOR is not needed Wisconsin’s state and local government spending is 18^th highest in US (as percent of income) – above the US average but well within the mainstream
20	The budget battle of 2005 Will the budget move Wisconsin toward adequate school funding? Or will it further restrict opportunities for Wisconsin’s children?