2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2828/1
FFK:cdc&skw
November 10, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Zimmerman, Duchow, Kitchens, Nedweski, Armstrong, Gustafson, Murphy, O'Connor and Steffen, cosponsored by Senator Hutton. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB645,1,3
1An Act to create 20.255 (2) (bt) and 115.448 of the statutes; relating to:
2grants for feasibility studies of school district consolidation or whole grade
3sharing. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
The bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to award grants to reimburse consortia of two or more school boards for up to $25,000 of the costs of a feasibility study for school district consolidation or a whole grade sharing agreement. The bill specifies that a professional financial analysis, which may include a population study, of the effects of consolidation or whole grade sharing on the school districts, is eligible for reimbursement under the grant program. Under the bill, to be eligible for a grant for a feasibility study, each school board in a consortium must demonstrate that it has adopted a resolution to consider school district consolidation.
Current law provides additional funding to a consolidated school district during the first seven years after consolidation. Current law does not provide funding for feasibility studies or other costs to school districts that are considering school district consolidation or whole grade sharing.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB645,1
1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, 2insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: AB645,29Section 2. 20.255 (2) (bt) of the statutes is created to read: AB645,2,121020.255 (2) (bt) Grants for feasibility studies of consolidation or whole grade 11sharing. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the grant program under s. 12115.448. AB645,313Section 3. 115.448 of the statutes is created to read: AB645,2,1614115.448 Grants for feasibility studies of consolidation or whole grade 15sharing. (1) In this section, “eligible applicant” means an applicant for a grant 16under this section that is a consortium of 2 or more school boards. AB645,2,2117(2) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bt), the department shall 18award grants to reimburse eligible applicants for costs related to feasibility studies 19for school district consolidation or whole grade sharing agreements under s. 118.50. 20The department may not reimburse an eligible applicant in an amount exceeding 21$25,000. AB645,3,322(b) The department shall consider a professional financial analysis, which
1may include a population study, of how school district consolidation or a whole 2grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50 would affect the school districts governed 3by the eligible applicant, as a reimbursable cost under this subsection. AB645,3,64(3) To receive a grant under this section, an eligible applicant shall 5demonstrate to the department that each school board that is a member of the 6consortium has adopted a resolution under s. 117.08 (1) or 117.09 (1).
