January 2025
Happy New Year! How were your holidays? Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? Of course you didn’t. At some point, as we grew into responsible adults, most of us learned that there’s never enough money to get everything you want. One has to learn how to prioritize wants and needs and you stay within your budget.
If you and I agree on that point, how is it we have an education system in Wisconsin that still believes “Santa taxpayer” can bring districts everything they want?
This April will feature the interesting dynamic of school board elections (among others) and funding referendums in at least two districts in Rock County. As we go to the polls, we’ll have to be the adults who know that there is no Santa Claus. We’ll be watching and listening (I hope) to candidates as they offer their views on local districts, and voting for those who show an attitude of fiscal responsibility (and student achievement).
“But Bill”, you say, “the districts are strapped. They aren’t getting enough money from the state, so local districts need board members who support referendums.” I say, ‘nay, nay’.
First, whether the state increases support to districts, or the local taxpayers do, it is still taxpayer funding. In the 1999-2000 school year, there were 869, 666 students in Wisconsin. The cost for educating each of those students (in 2022 inflation adjusted dollars) was $14, 827. In the 2022-23 school year (the last stats are available for) there were 831,037 students educated at a cost of $16,345 each. (source: Badger Institute) Fewer students and more money should equal better outcomes, right?
Perhaps it should, but recent DPI data shows it doesn’t. Especially in Janesville and Beloit. Of Wisconsin’s 421 school districts, Beloit ranked 420th and Janesville ranked 410th. All this with increased state funding and, in Janesville’s case, a newly passed operational referendum providing still more dollars. The state DPI’s answer to failing district performance in the face of increasing funding is to lower the bar on what constitutes a ‘meets expectations’ score. It’s a smoke and mirrors game akin to the ‘shrinkflation’ retail game where the price stays attractive but the package gives you less.
Districts tell us they’ve cut all the material “stuff” they can and I believe they have. But the true expenses and the savings are within the personnel. It’s time for board candidates to be prepared to tell us the answers to our questions. How do we educate special needs kids without breaking the bank? Is it practical to teach individual lesson plans in a class of 20? Why do we ask our teachers to take on the role of parents instead of allowing them to simply focus on education? How many counselors are in your district as opposed to 20 years ago? How many aides and assistants? How many employees in your district overall compared to enrollment numbers?
Where is the proof that more money guarantees better outcomes?
Ask the questions. Demand the answers. In April, vote thoughtfully and accordingly. Rock County doesn’t have to be in the top five percent of the nation’s highest property-taxed counties. It is only because we haven’t demanded accountability. Let’s agree that it stops on April 1st!
