Make no mistake, the decision by republicans in the 2011-2013 WI budget were designed to make punish poor school districts. Of the $792 million in school aids cut over two years, $749 million came from equalizing funds. That means that rich and predominantly republican school districts in places like Waukesha saw only a very small reductions, while poor districts got hammered.
According to the Wisconsin Budget Project, "the deep cuts to school equalization aid are widening the rift between rich and poor school districts. The findings from a UW analysis by James Shaw and Carolyn Kelley make us worry that there will be a wider achievement gap for students as well. For example, they found that:
- High-poverty districts had their state aid reduced by $703 per student in the 2011-12 school year, while low poverty districts lost just $319 per student.
- Public school staffing was reduced by 5.7% in high-poverty districts in 2011-12, compared to 1.1% in low-poverty districts."
Rural school districts are especially hard hit. State school aid cuts are compounded by falling property values to cripple schools already fighting falling enrollment. While suburban schools escape with little impact, kids outside Dane and Waukesha counties bear the brunt of the republican cuts.
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