Eau Claire schools tax levy hike attributed to state aid reduction

[riversedge]

Walker just cuts and cuts.


http://www.leadertelegram.com/news/front_page/article_17431840-42d9-11e4-a650-57c8568b6428.html

Eau Claire schools tax levy hike attributed to state aid reduction


Posted: Monday, September 22, 2014 11:55 pm

By Blythe Wachter Leader-Telegram staff

As the state’s share of public education costs spirals downward, Eau Claire school district residents will contribute more money out of pocket.

Amid a 3.9 percent decrease in general state aid and rising costs, the district’s proposed 2014-15 budget would boost the amount of money collected from local taxpayers by nearly 6 percent to preserve existing services.

This increase is “the function of the revenue limit formula controlled by the state,” Superintendent Mary Ann Hardebeck said..............

In student achievement scores, Eau Claire ranks eighth out of the state’s 10 largest schools but ranks third in the overall accountability score, Hardebeck said.

But the district usually rates at the bottom in key spending areas, she said. “So I think the community is getting a good value for the dollars invested in public education.”

[Scuba]

1. Shifting costs from corporate donors to average citizens - it's the Walker way.

[postulater]

2. Transitioning schools from an expense to a profit center for private corporations.

All part of the plan.

Squeeze the schools for money.
Make them welcome corporate assistance in the name of maintaining their standards.
Corporation starts funding local district.
Corporation starts to dictate lesson plans to teachers.
Corporation owns the school without having to own it.

http://www.gefoundation.com/education/developing-futures/

http://www.greatschools.org/wisconsin/milwaukee/1091-Clemens-School/

http://www.matc.edu/matc_news/2014_GEHealthcareDonation.cfm

and read the single comment on this page:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2011/01/milwaukee_wins_20_million_for.html

[riversedge]

4. Mary Burke: Vouchers make for good 'soundbite' at expense of public schools:

thanks for the links--promise to read them.


Mary Burke: Vouchers make for good 'soundbite' at expense of public schools: http://bit.ly/ZGAILz #wiready #wipolitics #wiunion

Burke, Wisconsin's Democratic candidate for governor, discussed education policy at an invitation-only event at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. About 40 people attended the discussion, which also featured National Education Association president Lily Eskelsen García and was moderated by Wisconsin Education Association Council president Betsy Kippers.

The best way to persuade parents and voters to invest in public education rather than an expansion of Wisconsin's statewide voucher program is to present it in financial terms, Burke said.

"We have to get out of the ideological warfare on this, and let’s just talk dollars and cents … which actually resonates with just about everyone," Burke said.

She cited an estimate from the state Department of Public Instruction that projects the cost of the voucher expansion at $1.2 billion per year. That projection is the estimated cost if 10 percent of public school students were to enroll in the system.

"Just to give you an estimate of what that is, that is $2.8 million per school district in this state," Burke said, noting that a voucher expansion would have to be paid for through cuts to public education or other programs, or a tax increase. "It’s a lot of money. I don’t know any school districts that can just cut that amount of money … when they lose 10 percent of their students.".......................

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/jessie-opoien/mary-burke-vouchers-make-for-good-soundbite-at-expense-of/article_cf8ab564-42bd-11e4-8e50-b7d064fd2252.html#ixzz3E9hpEk5V

[Iwillnevergiveup]

3. This says it all

This increase is “the function of the revenue limit formula controlled by the state,”

My God, this man has to go!

[sybylla]

5. Revenue limits were put into place in 1992 by Gobernator Thompson.

And they were supported then because the state promised 2/3rd funding at the time. Now Walker and the GOP legislature has completely given up on funding schools. This will happen more an more across the state.

[riversedge]

6. It is already happening. School levies are

happening. I have seen articles over the last several months--. My only hope is that people are waking up for Nov 4