Post Messenger Recorder -

Dear Families and Community Members, 

Wisconsin has a history of high-quality public schools. Currently, policy is being made that will have significant and lasting negative impact on all public schools in the State of Wisconsin.  The School District of Belleville is committed to providing all students with a quality education. Our children deserve better.

For several months, there has been a great deal of debate about the state budget. The Joint Finance Committee proposed education package will financially impact school districts and school funding. Following is a summary of some of the proposals made by the Joint Finance Committee:  

Funding:  For the first time, Wisconsin Public Schools will fall behind the national average in per-pupil spending. The proposal is for NO INCREASE in the revenue limit that results in public schools having less general state aid than in 2010. Underfunding Wisconsin public schools by not acknowledging the need for inflationary increase in revenue will have a major impact on our school district’s ability to maintain educational opportunities for all students. 

Vouchers:  The funding for the expansion of voucher programs will be taken directly from public school general aid. These public tax dollars will be used to pay for a student’s private education. Currently, public school students can open enroll into other public schools. A total of $6,635 follows that student to the new school. Under the proposed legislation, public school students can enroll in a voucher school (a non-public school). A voucher of $7,210 for K-8 students and $7,856 for high school students follows that student to their voucher school. In reality, non-public students are eligible for 18 percent more funding than public school students. 

Special Education Vouchers:  Public funded Special Education Vouchers of $12,000 would allow students to attend private and parochial schools where they would not be guaranteed the legal rights and protections afforded to them by Federal law. 

Teacher Licenses: The proposed legislation would also eliminate many standards for licensing teachers, thus allowing non-certified teachers to teach in schools.  

Graduation Requirements:

 Another proposal that would have significant impact on the rigor of attaining a high school diploma.  The new law would allow “learning portfolios” to replace up to one-half of the credits needed to graduate from High School.  

Testing:  A proposed mandated graduation requirement that all high school students must pass a 100 question civics test would be added to the multitude of standardized testing that students are already required to complete. The proposed legislation also proposes that districts are to be rated on a five-star rating system based on an unknown criteria. 

Extra-Curricular:  Home schooled and virtual school students would be able to participate in any extra-curricular or athletic team our district offers, raising a multitude of eligibility questions. 

There is still time for you as parents, community members, and taxpayers to voice your concerns and speak up for the serious destruction of public education that is embedded in this budget bill proposal.

Please contact your legislators and ask them to fully fund our public schools and remove the new proposals that will significantly impact our ability to provide all students in the Belleville School District with a high quality education. Our children deserve better. 

If you have any questions about the proposed legislation, please contact me. 

Sincerely,

Pam Yoder, District Administrator, School District of Belleville

Angie Edge, Board of Education President, School District of Belleville