Madison, WI – State Representative Scott Allen (R – Waukesha) sent a budget motion to the Joint Finance Committee that would raise the per pupil revenue limit by $300 in each year of the biennium for school districts with a below average revenue limit.
When per pupil revenue limits were initially adopted, there was an inequality in funding levels. Fiscally conservative school districts have been punished in an ongoing way by having their revenue limit locked in at a lower level than other districts.
“It is challenging for school districts to provide similar quality opportunities to students and attract and retain quality teachers when another school district down the road has a significant budgetary advantage,” said Rep. Allen.
“The School District of Waukesha, for example, is authorized $10,206.94 in revenue per pupil. Meanwhile, the state average is $10,889.45, a difference of nearly $700 per pupil,” stated Rep. Allen, “which creates competitive challenges in our highly mobile era.”
In line with past revenue limit increases, the budget motion would increase the base revenue limit from $10,000 per pupil to $10,300 for the 23-24 school year and $10,600 for the 24-25 school year. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that it would cost $60 million for the 23-24 budget year and $146 million in the 24-25 budget year for all affected school districts.
“We need to move in the direction of more equal revenue limits across the board,” said Rep. Allen.
