If special education funding streams covered the full cost of such services in Wisconsin schools, school districts already asked voters in a referendum this spring, according to an analysis by state Sen. Chris Larson's office. It turns out that there is a possibility of getting more than 60% of the funds. .
The state reimburses schools for only about one-third of special education costs, and districts must cover the rest from general aid.
Larson, a Democrat from Milwaukee, called on Republican lawmakers to call a special session to use some of the state's budget surplus to raise the state's share of special education costs to 90%. If next year's costs are similar to this year's, the move could cost about $970 million a year, according to a Legislative Fiscal Service memo requested by Larson.
Republicans had previously rejected demands to increase reimbursement rates. Gov. Tony Evers had proposed increasing that rate to 60%, following demands for an increase from a broad coalition of business owners, public school leaders, and private school leaders. Republicans brought it back to 33%, up slightly from 30% last time.
As a result, school districts will be required to cover the remaining costs. According to a report by the Education Law Center, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that advocates for equity, most school districts will provide their students with regular education to cover special education services for the 2019-20 school year. They were required to collect between $1,000 and $2,000 in educational funds. School funding.
Staff for Sen. John Juggler, R-Watertown, and Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, who chair the state Legislature's education committee, were not immediately available to comment on Larson's proposal. said.
Funding for special education could save schools most of the money they sought in referendums, including in Milwaukee.
Public schools are required by federal law to meet the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in individualized education plans, regardless of cost. From 2022 to 2023, Wisconsin schools had more than $1 billion in unpaid special education costs.
Larson's office specifically looked at 68 school districts that held referendums this spring asking voters about their ability to raise tax dollars for schools. Together, they asked voters for about $427 million.
The total amount of unreimbursed special education costs in these districts was approximately $272 million. This represents about 64% of the amount they asked voters to match.
Larson's office also found 16 school districts with unpaid special education costs equal to or greater than the amount requested in the referendum.
Turning to Milwaukee Public Schools, Larson's office revealed that full special education funding would provide the district with an additional $143.5 million. That's about 57% of the amount the district asked voters for in a successful referendum in April that would ultimately increase the district's spending authority by about $1 billion. $252 million.
Larson argued in a letter to voters Tuesday that special education issues are more urgent to preserve school budgets as referendum pass rates decline across the state.
“This is not sustainable,” Larson wrote. “People support public schools, but there is a limit to how much they can raise their own taxes.”
Costs are higher in areas with more poverty
An analysis by the Education Law Center found that school districts with high numbers of students with disabilities who require special education services tend to have the highest special education reimbursement shortfalls in districts with high poverty rates.
The center compared Milwaukee Public Schools and the Whitefish Bay School District.
In the 2019-20 school year, 84% of MPS students were identified as low-income and 20% were identified as having a disability. At Whitefish Bay, her 2% of students were low income and 11% had a disability. MPS had to use about $2,000 in general funds per student to cover special education costs, while Whitefish Bay had to collect about $1,100 per student.
Researchers have found a variety of reasons why students from low-income families and students of color are more likely to require special education services. As a result of racist housing policies and government neglect, many children are exposed to lead in water and paint, live in food deserts, and deal with other environmental stressors that impact development. . Many families also struggle to access early childhood education and other learning opportunities available to wealthier families.
How much does my district spend on special education?
The Education Law Center's tool shows how much each school district in Wisconsin spent on special education in the 2019-20 school year, and how much the state was short on funding.
Data from Larson's office shows the amount of the referendum and the amount of special education fees that were not reimbursed for the 2022-23 school year, for districts that held a referendum this spring.
Contact Rory Linnane at rory.linnane@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter@RoryLinnane.