School Funding and Budget Information

Almost annually we are asked about Wisconsin’s school funding system where the final pieces of school funding are not released until October 15 even though school districts’ budgets start on July 1.

School budgets, levies, and revenue limits cannot be finalized until the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) releases the general aid certification for schools on October 15 (or the Friday before Oct 15 when it falls on a weekend). This has been the practice for the past 30 years since revenue limits for school districts were put into law in 1993.

Some districts hold their annual meetings in July, long before the final staffing changes of summer and the 3rd Friday in September total pupil count which helps set the revenue limit are completed. Those districts still have to update and change their budgets at the end of October, often with very significant changes from what was presented at the annual meeting in July.

In Monroe, we hold our annual meeting in October. This allows our budget to be closer to final. However, the law also requires that the budget to be presented at the annual meeting be published in the paper at least 8 days prior to the annual meeting. Unfortunately, that means the budget and levy that is published and acted on at the annual meeting does not include the final changes that need to be made after the state general aid certification is released on October 15. The Board of Education acts on those final amendments and sets the final levy at the last Board meeting in October.

The laws, funding system and timing of funding information for schools in Wisconsin sometimes does not appear to make sense and are often confusing and frustrating for school districts and their taxpayers alike.

If you would like to learn more, the District Budget is available at the District Administrative Center located on the 3rd floor of the Monroe Public Library.