2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
March 8, 2004 - Introduced by Representatives Seratti, Gard and Albers.
Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.
AB938,1,4
1An Act to create 20.255 (2) (ae), 115.435 (2m) and 115.436 of the statutes;
2relating to: providing additional state aid to certain large-area, declining
3enrollment school districts, granting rule-making authority, and making an
4appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a school district with an area of at least 200 square miles
and an enrollment of fewer than 500 pupils, and in which at least 80 percent of the
real property is exempt from taxation, is taxed as forest cropland, or is tribal land,
is eligible for supplemental state aid of $350 per enrolled pupil.
This bill provides that, if in any fiscal year the amount appropriated for
supplemental aid is not fully expended, the balance will be used to provide a payment
of $350 per enrolled pupil to any school district that is at least 475 square miles in
area and that experienced a decline in enrollment of more than 12 percent between
the 2000-01 school year and the 2003-04 school year.
The bill also creates a separate categorical aid program that provides $500 per
pupil to the same school districts.
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:
AB938, s. 1
1Section
1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
-
See PDF for table 
AB938, s. 2
3Section
2. 20.255 (2) (ae) of the statutes is created to read:
AB938,2,54
20.255
(2) (ae)
Additional aid. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in
5the schedule for aid to school districts under s. 115.436.
AB938, s. 3
6Section
3. 115.435 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB938,2,117
115.435
(2m) (a) If in any fiscal year there is a balance in the appropriation
8under s. 20.255 (2) (ad) after all of the payments are made under sub. (2), the
9department shall use the balance to pay each school district that satisfies the
10following criteria an amount equal to $350 for each pupil enrolled in the school
11district in the previous school year:
AB938,2,1212
1. The school district is at least 475 square miles in area.
AB938,2,1413
2. The school district's enrollment declined more than 12 percent between the
142000-01 school year and the 2003-04 school year.
AB938,2,1615
(b) If the balance is insufficient to pay the full amount under this subsection,
16the funds shall be prorated among the entitled school districts.
AB938, s. 4
17Section
4. 115.436 of the statutes is created to read:
AB938,2,19
18115.436 Additional aid. (1) A school district that satisfies all of the following
19criteria may apply to the department by October 15 of each school year for a grant:
AB938,3,2
1(a) The school district's membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5), declined more
2than 12 percent between the 2001-02 school year and the 2003-04 school year.
AB938,3,33
(b) The school district is at least 475 square miles in area.
AB938,3,9
4(2) Beginning in the 2004-05 school year, annually by June 30 the department
5shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ae), pay each school district that
6satisfies the criteria under sub. (1) $500 for each pupil enrolled in the school district
7in the previous school year. If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ae) is insufficient
8to pay the full amount under this subsection, the funds shall be prorated among the
9entitled school districts.
AB938,3,10
10(3) No aid may be paid under this section after June 30, 2009.
AB938,3,12
11(4) The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this
12section.
AB938,3,1414
(1) This act first applies to state aid distributed in the 2004-05 school year.
