EDUCATION GROUP: BILL THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 -- 11:41 AM
An education group is touting a new senate resolution as starting the first discussion on "comprehensive school-funding reform" in years.Senate Joint Resolution 27 would set a deadline of July 1, 2009 for significant change to the funding formula.
"The school funding formula, as it exists today, is based on how many kids you have in school and what the value of your property is," explains Thomas Beebe of Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools. "In our minds, that does nothing to try to produce sufficient revenue so all kids get a quality education."
Beebe says the current formula needs to be completely thrown out.
On the surface, Beebe admits, it may appear to make sense to base funding on enrollment.
"The problem is when you're dealing on the margins," Beebe explains. "If you lose 12 children in one grade, that's going to have a large effect, because you still have to offer whatever grade that is."
"You still need to turn on the lights, keep the heat up, keep the doors open."
A main priority of the group is to have the state determine, once and for all, how much it costs to provide a quality education and then base the funding formula on that figure.
"We happen to think that's going to be more revenue is needed," states Beebe.
Beebe thinks that extra money could come from an increased sales tax, but also increased taxes on corporations, who he says aren't paying their fair share.
The resolution, authored by Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts of Middleton and Sen. Roger Breske of Eland is up for a public hearing on November 15th.
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