Abbey Machtig:
More referendum money would pay for an estimated $15 million increase in health care costs, and for new teaching and mental health staff.
An additional pay increase for district employees also is tied to the operating referendum. The district and Madison Teachers Inc. already agreed to a 2.06% wage increase, in addition to raises awarded for years of experience and level of education. If the referendum passes, staff would get the full 4.12% increase allowed under state law.
Money from the operating referendum also would be used to invest in 4K programming, bolster multilingual education and enrich career exploration opportunities in middle schools, according to the district’s website. The district has not provided information about the cost of each of these items, or exactly what kind of programs would be expanded or added.
The School Board also may decide to use a chunk of referendum revenue to address student service employees’ salary compression — the term for when newly hired employees with less experience earn close to, or more than, employees in the same job with more experience. The compression is the result of changes made in 2018 to the schedule that dictates salary increases based on years of experience and level of education. Student services employees include social workers, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school counselors and speech and language clinicians.
It will cost about $1.8 million to even out the salaries, according to district estimates. The School Board also could opt to fix the compression in the 2025-26 budget.
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The district has not committed to reducing expenses before asking taxpayers for more money, unlike, for example, the McFarland School District. McFarland schools made $1.2 million in cuts and the district now is asking voters to approve a $5.25 million operating referendum.
If the operating referendum fails, the Madison School District plans to significantly draw down its reserves, by about $46.7 million, to cover expenses.
That plan would be a short-term fix and comes with added financial risk. Pulling from reserves can hurt the district’s financial rating and increase its need to take out short-term loans.
The school district’s current reserves fund balance sat at just over $114.6 million on July 1, according to information provided to the School Board on Sept. 16. Board policy requires the district to maintain a fund balance that is equal to 10% to 15% of its general operating budget, which currently sits at about $496.6 million.
Madison’s well funded k-12 system and city government are seeking substantial 607M+ tax and spending increases via referendum this fall.
Madison taxpayers of long supported far above average K – 12 spending.
The data clearly indicate that being able to read is not a requirement for graduation at (Madison) East, especially if you are black or Hispanic”
My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results
2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results
Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results.
“An emphasis on adult employment”
Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF]
WEAC: $1.57 million for Four Wisconsin Senators
Friday Afternoon Veto: Governor Evers Rejects AB446/SB454; an effort to address our long term, disastrous reading results
Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of Dred Scott in the age of mass incarceration.
When A Stands for Average: Students at the UW-Madison School of Education Receive Sky-High Grades. How Smart is That?