MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – Governor Scott Walker’s proposed state budget would let small rural school districts consolidate whole grade levels with other small districts.
Right now, those arrangements are not allowed under state law. But supporters say it would let districts that cannot afford entire K-12 programs merge certain grade levels — like middle school grades — with another district, while both keep running their own grade levels in other areas like elementary and high school classes.
The idea came from the state’s task force on rural schools. It worked with the head of the Wisconsin Rural Schools’ Alliance to learn more about similar arrangements in Iowa — where over 70 districts share certain grade levels with other districts.
Assembly Republican Mary Cjaza of Irma tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it allows rural districts to consolidate some programs and save money, while each district continues to maintain its community identity. And by pooling resources, supporters say it offers more resources to a small town school — plus funding to maintain things like Advanced Placement programs and full-time school counselors.
Opponents fear that whole-grade sharing could lead to more total consolidations of districts in the future — with some places losing their schools for good. Under the proposed state budget, whole-grade sharing could begin in the fall of 2016.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
