SB 956

This bill makes various changes to laws related to general school aids and

various categorical aid programs; provides additional funding for general school aids

and various categorical aid programs and for higher education; and makes changes

to, and creates additional, programs administered by the Department of Public

Instruction. The bill also creates a family caregiver individual income tax credit,

increases the amount of the additional child and dependent care tax credit, and

provides a tax rebate to all residents of this state.

Revenue limit adjustment

Current law generally limits the total amount of revenue per pupil that a school

district may receive from general school aids and property taxes in a school year to

the amount of revenue allowed per pupil in the previous school year plus a per pupil

adjustment, if any, as provided by law. In the 2020-21 school year, the per pupil

adjustment was a $179 increase. Under current law, there is no per pupil adjustment

in the 2021-22 school year and thereafter.

For purposes of calculating school district revenue limits, the bill provides a per

pupil increase of $200 for the 2022-23 school year. Under the bill, there is no per

pupil adjustment in the 2023-24 school year and thereafter.

Additional funding for education

The bill provides additional funding in the amount of $111,000,000 for the

University of Wisconsin System in fiscal year 2022-23 under its general program

operations appropriation; additional funding in the amount of $28,000,000 for state

aid to technical colleges in fiscal year 2022-23; additional funding in the amount of

$172,643,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 for special education aid DPI pays to school

districts, independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies, and

county children with disabilities education boards; and additional funding in the

amount of $188,000,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 for general equalization aids for

school districts.

The bill also increases the per pupil amount for per pupil aid paid to school

districts to $870 beginning in the 2022-23 school year. Under current law, the per

pupil amount for per pupil aid is $742. Per pupil aid is funded from a sum sufficient

appropriation. The amount of per pupil aid paid to a school district is calculated

using a three-year average of the number of pupils enrolled in the school district and

a per pupil amount set by law.

Summer school grants to urban school districts

Under current law, DPI must award a grant to a first class city school district

(currently, only Milwaukee Public Schools) for the purpose of developing,

redesigning, or implementing a summer school program. The bill expands the

summer school grant program to include additional urban school districts. Under

the bill, an urban school district is a school district that, in the previous school year,

had a membership of at least 18,000 pupils. The bill also requires DPI to annually