The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of costs and funding for special education provided by Wisconsin's school districts, as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Special education costs increased 36.9 percent from fiscal year (FY) 1992-93 to FY 1997-98, from $630.8 million to $863.5 million. Special education enrollments increased 19.1 percent during this period, to 113,211 students in FY 1997-98. This increase was approximately three times the total public school enrollment increase of 6.3 percent.
Neither federal aid nor state categorical aid for special education has increased at the same rate as special education costs. If state categorical aid had been fully funded, it would have supported approximately 63 percent of special education costs. However, the Legislature has appropriated $275.5 million in categorical aid in each year since FY 1994-95, and that amount has not been sufficient to fully fund costs at statutory authorized levels. For example, state categorical aid payments for costs incurred in 1997-98 were $219.7 million less than the maximum allowed.
Special education costs that are not reimbursed by federal or state categorical aids are eligible for reimbursement under state general equalization aids, and a larger portion of special education costs has been shifted to this funding source over time. General aids provided the most substantial increase in special education funding from FY 1992-93 through FY 1997-98: $196.2 million, or 136.7 percent. In FY 1997-98, 75.7 percent of special education costs were supported by some form of state funding, compared to 66.9 percent in FY 1992-93. However, not all school districts benefitted equally from the increased state support because the general aids formulas provide districts with varying levels of benefit. Further, the increase in general aids occurred after the establishment of state revenue limits that restrict total education spending. Consequently, increase in special education spending have reduced the spending authority available for regular education in some districts. Our survey of school district officials found widespread dissatisfaction with the State's current method of funding special education, but no consensus for an alternative.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Public Instruction, which oversees the provision of special education throughout the state, and by the school districts. The Department's response in Appendix VI.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Commerce
April 29, 1999
The Honorable, The Senate:
We are pleased to submit to you, the Recycling Market Development Board Quarterly Report for January through March 1999. In accordance to the statutory requirement, the Recycling Market Development Board is submitting the Quarterly Report to the Senate Chief Clerk and the Assembly Chief Clerk, for your review.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to update you on the Recycling Market Development Board activities. We hope this report will answer any questions you may have, as well as demonstrate the accomplishments we have made in our constant efforts to develop and sustain recycling markets in Wisconsin.
If you have any further questions or comments, please contact me at (608) 267-9360.
Sincerely,
Gail Miller Wray
Executive Director
Recycling Market Development Board
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
April 29, 1999
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As required by s.
16.045(5) Wis. Stats., I am submitting the eighth
Wisconsin Gasohol and Alternative Fuel Use Report for distribution to the appropriate standing committees.
Should you or Legislative members have questions, please contact Nathaniel E. Robinson, Administrator, Division of energy and Intergovernmental Relations, at 608/266-7257
Sincerely,
Mark D. Bugher
Secretary
Referred to committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform.
Department of Administration
March 18, 1999
The Honorable, The Legislature:
With this letter, I am forwarding to you the Bureau of Justice Information Systems (BJIS) Third Annual Report. S.
13.172(2) directs BJIS to report annually on its activities, and this report is submitted in fulfillment of that requirement.
The report describes the efforts of BJIS on behalf of three areas: Inter-Agency Justice Information Sharing, District Attorney Information Technology (DA IT), and Year 2000 Preparedness (Y2K). Significant progress was made in these areas, and are described in detail in the report.
Multiple projects to improve the electronic sharing of information among justice agencies were undertaken in 1998. These include creating a roadmap for IJIS efforts, starting work on a Wisconsin criminal justice data dictionary, and developing a plan for BJIS, DOJ and CCAP to share telecommunications links with county courthouses. This is just the beginning of what could be possible in reducing redundant data entry and improving public safety gaps that currently exist.
Progress also occurred in several areas relating to district attorney information technology (DA IT). In 1998, BJIS worked hard installing and supporting 16 state standard local area networks (LANs) connected to county and state networks (WANs), training and supporting users in 16 LAN and 55 DA Net offices, developing a prototype of a Wisconsin-specific DA case management system (PROTECT), and creating a BJIS DA Support Center to replace CCAP support.
New projects in response to Executive Order 341 (Year 2000 Preparedness) were also initiated. BJIS established a Public Safety Functional Team to address state public safety agency Y2K preparedness. BJIS also began identifying critical areas of Y2K action related to counties, interdependencies among public safety agencies and public communication about Y2K. Educating DA's about Y2K issues affecting their offices was completed as was ensuring Y2K compliance of all BJIS equipment and software installed in DA offices.
All three of these efforts are in full swing and have begun to bear fruits of considerable effort. With the support of the legislature, BJIS can help improve public safety and bring efficiency to government by working to improve both the communication between agencies and by providing the basic infra structure needed to be effective.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Bugher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
May 4, 1999
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list
of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 1999 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Boyer, Amy Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Broydrick, William Omni Care
Carey, Ray Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club
Dennik-Champion, Georgina M Wisconsin Nurses Association
Dickert, John T Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club
Early, Jessica Wisconsin Troopers' Association, Inc.
Fassbender, Robert I Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Gundermann, Robert Wisconsin Alzheimer's Association Chapter Network
Hough, James E Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Jablonski, Ann Peoples Lottery Foundation, Inc.
Kuehn, Ronald W Wisconsin Association of Judicial Court Commissioners
Lanser, Mary Claire Oconomowoc Residential Programs, Inc
Mann, Heather Urban Open Space Foundation, Inc.
Mathie, J. Scott Metropolitan Builders Association of Greater Milwaukee
McCoshen, William J Lake Mills Limited
McIntosh, Forbes Oconomowoc Residential Programs, Inc
Montemurro, Michael Snap-On Incorporated
O'Connor, Alice State Medical Society of Wisconsin
Petersen, Eric J Lake Mills Limited
Plautz, Jolene Medical College of Wisconsin
Potter, Rosemary Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club
Radtke, Randall Peoples Lottery Foundation, Inc.
Tries, John Peoples Lottery Foundation, Inc.
Vaughan, Michael Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Wagner, Burton Wisconsin Nurses Association
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by the organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Roth Judd
Director
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
April 29, 1999
To the Honorable, the Senate:
The following bill(s), originating in the Senate, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Sincerely,
TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Governor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
