Subject: School-funding reform update, week of Feb. 21
Date: Monday, February 28, 2005 2:24 PM
From: Tom Beebe <tbeebe@wisconsinsfuture.org>
To: update <update@excellentschools.org>

School-funding update
Reform advocates need to take action ... now! 
In school, money really does matter 
Support for TABOR in Wisconsin is questionable
 
School-funding reform calendar 
The Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools (WAES) is a statewide network of educators, school board members, parents, community leaders, and researchers. Its Wisconsin Adequacy Plan -- a proposal for school-finance reform -- is the result of research into the cost of educating children to meet state proficiency standards.
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Reform advocates need to take action ... now!

The big news in Wisconsin ... and the focus for those interested in school-funding reform ... remains the Governor's budget to increase public school aid and deliver property tax relief and the Republican's answer, AB58, legislation that simplistically freezes taxes and could actually reduce public school aid.

Gov. Jim Doyle's budget provides hundreds of millions of dollars of property tax relief by pumping an extra $700 million into the state aid portion of school revenues. This returns the state's share of school revenue to two-thirds. His budget also increases categorical aids for schools by $90 million.

AB58 (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB58hst.html), on the other hand, delivered a potentially devastating blow to many of the stateÕs public schools and public school children (to see how the Governor's budget and AB58 affect your district, go to http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/Feb05/Feb17/0217govfreezecomparo.pdf).

There's a few things you need to do immediately:
First, contact the Governor (governor@wisconsin.gov) and ask him to veto AB58. The Republicans passed the bill last week but have not sent it on to Gov. Doyle. Instead, they said they are holding it to give people time to contact the Governor. Take them at their word and send an e-mail today. 
While you are at it, contact your legislators ... Republican or Democrat (http://165.189.139.210/WAML/) ... too. Tell him or her (either via e-mail, phone call, or written letter) to support the Governor's veto -- no matter how he or she originally voted on AB58 -- because your children's education is too important for political games. Make sure you include your name, address, and phone number. 
As long as you have their ear, this would be a good time to tell them you also expect them to support the Governor's budget. Above all else, remind them that you are a voter committed to school-funding reform who will check on his or her vote before the next election. 
Once the Governor vetoes AB58, his 2005-07 budget moves to the front of the legislative calendar. It was introduced on Feb. 8 and now goes on the road for five public hearings before the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee (JFC). Hearing dates and sites are: March 9 in Watertown; March 11 in Cleveland; March 14 in Menomonie; March 15 in Merrill; and March 17 in Madison. For more details, go to the JFC website at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/jfc.html and then go to "schedule."

At least one legislator has already questioned the limited number of sites for JFC hearings (similar criticism was leveled at the committee for holding only one hearing on a statewide property tax freeze). Sen. Lena Taylor, of Milwaukee's 4th Senate District, criticized the group for not holding a meeting in Milwaukee. Additionally, no hearings are set in the northern part of the state with both Merrill and Menomonie in the central and west-central portions of Wisconsin. If you would like to urge the JFC to reconsider its choices, contact information can be found at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/jfc/jfcmembership.html.
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In school, money really does matter

For years, only one side of the "does money matter question" has been part of the public debate. No more, however. A recent article (http://www.schoolfunding.info/resource_center/research/MoneyMattersFeb2004.pdf) says that numerous studies and court decisions have been "consistent and conclusive" -- money does make a difference.

Michael Rebell and Joseph Wardenski explain in their article, "Of Course Money Matters: Why the Arguments to the Contrary Never Added Up," that reforms like smaller class sizes, quality professional development, extended day programs, pre-school, and literacy services have all produced significant and positive academic results. For many schools, these programs are the best way to overcome socioeconomic and demographic factors that limit learning.

According to the authors, as state executives and legislators struggle to balance budgets and fund core services, the "ill-informed notion that money will not help struggling schools could have damaging repercussions for poor students across the country."
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Support for TABOR in Wisconsin is questionable

While few people don't want their property taxes frozen, support for TABOR or a legislatively-imposed property tax freeze weakens considerably when people find out that services they value ... like public schools ... might be cut.

Those are the findings of a recent survey (http://www.wccf.org/pdf/tabor_poll_summary.pdf) conducted by the Public Policy Forum and the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF). Of those who indicated initial support for TABOR, 47 percent were less likely to support it if it resulted in cuts to health care coverage for children; 47 percent were less likely to support it if it resulted in cuts to public schools; and 41 percent were less likely to support it if it resulted in cuts to public libraries.

While admitting that tax cuts are popular, WCCF Executive Director Charity Eleson said, "This shows that people in Wisconsin care about protecting investments in services for children. While there may be a short-term political gain for passing TABOR or the freeze, those actions are likely to produce a negative reaction when they necessitate service cuts in popular programs."
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School-funding reform calendar
Feb. 28 -- School-funding reform presentation, 6:30-8 p.m., at the St. Francis High School Little Theater, 4225 South Lake Street. 
March 1 -- School-funding reform presentation in Hartland
 
March 3 --Stevens Point area "School-funding reform community forum" at the Charles M. White Library (http://library.uwsp.edu/pcl/images/point.jpg) in Stevens Point at 7 p.m. 
March 7 -- Columbus area "School-funding reform community forum" in the auditorium at Fall River High School (contact Ken Bates at ken_bates@columbus.k12.wi.us or 920-623-5950) 
Postponed ... March 10 -- School-funding reform presentation sponsored by Project ABC in Waukesha at 7 p.m.
 
March 11 -- School-funding reform presentation at Edgewood College in Madison 
March 12 -- School-funding reform presentation at the AFT-Wisconsin conference in Superior 
March 16 -- School-funding reform presentation in Wausau for Marian College education program
 
Please feel free to share your copy of the WAES school-funding update with anyone interested in school-finance reform. Contact Tom Beebe (tbeebe@wisconsinsfuture.org) at 414-384-9094 for details.
-- 
Thomas S. Beebe, Education Outreach Specialist
Institute for Wisconsin's Future
1717 South 12th Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204
414-384-9094 (voice)
414-384-9098 (fax)
920-650-0525 (cell)
tbeebe@wisconsinsfuture.org
www.wisconsinsfuture.org <http://www.wisconsinsfuture.org> 
www.excellentschools.org <http://www.excellentschools.org>