School Districts can now set their tax levy. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has posted state general school aids that districts will receive during the current school year. This release of certified financial figures is based on data from the previous school year, including student counts and year-end financial data. General school aids are the largest form of state support for PK-12 schools in Wisconsin. The DPI is required by state law to release the certified aid figures by October 15 of each year. This certified data replaces preliminary aid estimates released in July.
The 2023-2025 state biennial budget increased funding for general school aids for the 2024-25 school year by 4.2% to a total of $5.58 billion. Statewide, a majority of general aid is equalization aid, which is distributed according to a formula designed to help Wisconsin communities provide public education despite local differences in property wealth. The formula incorporates school district expenditures, property values, and resident student counts. The other, smaller elements of general school aids are integration aid and special adjustment aid. The latter, also known as “hold harmless” aid, prevents districts from receiving more than a 15% reduction in aid from year to year and will go to 69 districts for 2024-25. Aid varies widely by districts based on the equalization formula. Of 421 districts, 276, or 66%, will receive more aid for 2024-25 than in 2023-24. They include:
The Ithaca School District which will receive an 8.18% increase in funding, from $2.27 million to $2.45 million for an increase of $186,000.
The Richland School District will receive a 14.05% increase from $10 million to $11.4 million for an increase of $1.4 million.
River Valley will see a 7.76% increase from 5.6 million to $6 million for a $436,780 increase.
The Riverdale School District will receive a 3.9% increase in funding from the state, from $5.4 million to $5.6 million for an increase of $213,000.
And the Boscobel School District will see a 2% increase from $6.2 million to $6.3 million. An increase of $124,690.
137, or 33%, of the 421 school districts in the state will receive less funding this year. This includes the Kickapoo Area School District which will receive a 3.98% cut in funding. From $3.4 million to $3.26 million for a decrease of $135,600.
General school aids are paid in four installments during the school year. Aid amounts for each school district can be found on the department’s School Financial Services webpage dpi.wi.gov.
