Legislative Priorities

To ensure all students achieve their full potential and learn in safe, supportive environments, stable and predictable funding is essential. Our district's new strategic plan outlines a vision for the educational experience our students and families deserve. Realizing this vision, however, depends on adequate state funding. We believe that decisions impacting our students are best made at the local level, allowing us to tailor resources to their specific needs.

What Can You Do?
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) is a statutory, 16-member standing committee of the Wisconsin Legislature. The Committee’s primary responsibility is to serve as the principal legislative committee charged with determining school district  appropriations and revenues.

The JFC is conducting 4 listening sessions across the state during the month of April. The closest public hearing to Superior will be held, Monday, April 28, 2025 (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) Hayward High School Auditorium 10320 Greenwood Lane, Hayward, WI 54843 

These hearings are a great opportunity for the Superior Community to provide testimony highlighting issues that are important to the School District of Superior. 

Here is what you can do:
Step 1: Draft a letter. We have created a template for communicating with state officials via email.

Step 2: Send your letter via email to the JFC at [email protected], 

Step 3: Send your letter via email to your local representatives

Romain Quinn at [email protected]

SPECIAL EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT

• Increase the special education reimbursement for public schools to a rate of 60% sum sufficient for special needs students, matching the reimbursement rate given to private schools under the legislated Special Need. In 2023-24, our transfer from Fund 10 to cover unreimbursed expenses totaled $6.2M.  If there was an increase in special education categorical aid it would result in approximately $2.5 M of savings in the general fund.

LOW REVENUE CEILING 

• We ask that the low revenue ceiling is increased to $12,500.  By increasing the low revenue ceiling this brings a majority of districts much closer to a more similar limit. This change would increase our revenue by an estimated $3.3 million. To mitigate any potential impact on local property taxpayers, we advocate for a corresponding increase in Equalization Aid to offset this revenue increase.
  

PER PUPIL REVENUE LIMIT

• We ask that you increase the per pupil revenue limit. For example, an increase of $90 over the guaranteed $325 in year 1 and $105 over the $325 in year 2 would allow our district to generate approximately $350,000 in additional revenue in year 1 and $420,000 in year 2

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CATEGORICAL AID

• We are requesting an increase in categorical aid. An increase of $100 per year which would generate $400,000 for our students.

These platform items align with the School Administrators Alliance (SAA). The SAA is an alliance of Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA), Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO), Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA), Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS), and Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators (WASPA).