State Budget - Education

Update: May 15, 2008

In addition to providing state aid to cover 2/3 funding for Kindergarten through grade 12 education, the budget includes the following items:

  • A $53.5 million (8.1%) increase in special education funding.
  • A $27 million increase for smaller class sizes in elementary schools through the SAGE program.
  • $21 million for a new aid appropriation for high poverty school districts.
  • $10 million per year in grants for Milwaukee Public Schools to improve pupil academic performance (beginning in 2008-09).
  • Increase school breakfast reimbursement rates by 5 cents per breakfast.
  • $3 million in grants to school districts to implement four-year-old kindergarten programs.

Update: May 2, 2008

SAGE: The Governor recommends increasing funding for the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) class-size reduction program. The additional funding will be used to fully fund the estimated cost of the SAGE program at a higher reimbursement level. The Governor further recommends increasing funding to allow five more schools to join the SAGE program in fiscal year 2009.

School Breakfast: The Governor recommends increasing funding to support an increase in the school breakfast reimbursement rate and to fully fund anticipated participation in the program. The rate will increase from 10 cents to 15 cents per breakfast served by public and private schools participating in the school breakfast program and will eliminate the proration of payments to schools.

Milwaukee School Choice Auditor: The Governor recommends providing funding and position authority for an additional auditor position for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program to ensure that participating schools comply with state statutes and rules, and to address the increased work load associated with increasing enrollment in the program. The new position will be funded by assessing a fee on all schools participating in the program.

Here are links to our budget pages:.