***********************************************
This document is based on the current K-6 staff housed
in the Wilton School
Salaries and Fringe Benefites:
Transportation
Maintenance
Travel Expense
This is more detailed then the report below but the final amounts are the same. There was also a lot of other information. About student enrollment, etc. Main point being that the detachment would mean that the area being detached would account for about 215 students that would no longer be a part of the EK district.
However, in the report handed out at the June 28th meeting
I could find no reference to the $1.92 per $1,000.00 valuation
tax increase that would occur in the EK district should detachment occur.
The $1.92 increase in taxes per thousand valuation came from figures
arrived at by Nalannie Bever using the school districts
and detachment committee figures. However, Mr. Keenan indicated at
the June 28th meeting that their would be an increasse
of nearly a half million dollars from the declinning enrollment fund
which would offset to some degree this amount of tax increase.
More on declining enrollment payments later.
********************
The Following Information are excerpts From the June 24th Edition of County Line Connection.- PO Box 7, Ontario, Wisconsin - Karen Parker - Ph: 608-337-4232
The newly appointed "Detachment Committee" of the EKW School board met last Thursday evening and reviewed figures prepared by the administration on the effect to the District should the Wilton area detach.
Wisconsin Statutes require that the Board determine the number of students in the proposed area of detachment. Superintend Mr. Keenan, said that Administrative Assistant Alreida Benish and Wilton Bus Service Operator, Duane Evans, using the January 8th 1999 official count day had come up with the following number of K-12students then present in the proposed detachment territory. The grand total being 200 students.
The next task was to determine the cost of operating the Wilton School. Mr. Keenan used
the cost associated with the current staff in the building as an approximate figure.
Here is the breakdown:
Lastly Mr. Keenan took Principle Tim McGowns figure of the staffing requirements after detachment. The financial impact, associated with the reduction in force came to $310,310. or a total of $1,142,567.
The next number to calculate is the revenue which is associated with 200 students and multiplying it by the Districts per pupil spending number of $6,788.77 and multiplying the two to come to a figure of $1,357,754.
What all that means is that the revenue generated by 200 students exceeds the "savings" by $215,187. With all other things remaining equal, the increase tax impact to property taxpayers left in the EKW district would be about $1.92 per thousand.
All these figures are relative and does not take into consideration state aid adjustments, any new per pupil spending etc. Mr. Keenan said he would try to get that information from the DPI. This and other aspects of the Detachment will be presented at Monday nights meeting June 28th.
****************************************************
Item #3 on tonight's EKW Board of Education meeting agenda is:
Committee Reports-Configuration.
At March 11th 1999 EKW Board of Education Meeting, Douglas McCracken, presented a proposal asking for a referendum to be held on an earlier 3 site district configuration. K-6 in Wilton & Elroy Grades 7-12 and a new highschool to be build in the Kendall Area the total cost of the configuration to be approximately of ten and one half million dollars. The referendum was to have been April 27th. 1999.
At March 22nd 1999 EKW Board of Education Meeting, Tim McGowan made a plea for more information on what would be included in such a configuration and asking that the wishes of academic community be taken into consideration. The Board then went on to discuss configuration, being made aware of the questions asked from the audience reinforced by the well received speech of Mr. McGown the mood of the Board was one of rethinking their earlier decision on the configuration question. Finally after much discussion among themselves they accepted and passed a motion offered that would ask that two more design builder such as TCI be invited to present their cost estimates, that the school administrator, principles and teachers, bring concise recommendations to the board as to what they would like to see in any configuration plan and that this be as expedient as possible. The two other Design Builder besides TCI being invited to offer their ideas and cost estimates are Hoffman and Kramer Brothers. They were to be contacted on (3/23/99) to see if they were interested.
Because of the above action by the Board the following items were tabled.
On March 30th the Board of Education at a Special Closed Meeting meet with TCI and concluded an agreement with them saying that TCI would remain the Design Builders until that time that the project was finished or as President Yahnke stated, "Thrown out"
In the meantime activity in the Wilton area for detachment has increased as the: The
Answer is NOW committee presented facts and figures to the EKW Board on savings
and advantages that could come with attaching to the
Norwalk/Ontario district.
Mike Baurenfiend in one of his letters to the community and the Board said:
"The people need to be given a chance to vote their preferences on this
bonding referendum. But before they do, they need to have specific answers
about how their money will be spent and what this huge indebtedness will
buy. Many are concerned because they feel it is too expensive, or there are
too many unknowns. Some feel uncomfortable committing to such a large
debt without knowing what they are getting for their money. Still others feel
that new buildings or not, eventually there will not be enough money to
operate all three schools. There are lots of questions about the effects of this
referendum. We need honest and accurate answers. Hopefully they will be
forthcoming
and an informed decision can be made ".
Sandra McAnany in her report on Page 12 said: After reviewing this issue and some alternatives, my recommendation to the EKW School Board is to narrow the options to two and hold a district wide advisory referendum. Building one consolidated school or remodeling every school except Wilton, which would be torn down are the two best alternatives for the district. If the EKW district runs like a business, a consolidated school in Elroy is the best long-term option. Unfortunately, a school district is an organization that has to consider other variables besides costs. I would encourage the school board to develop a district wide survey before planning any advisory referendum to ensure that each resident has the chance to offer his or her opinion. At some time, residents will need to put aside their differences and focus on what is the best for education within the EKW district.
At the March 11th EKW School Board meeting the question of multiple choices on the referendum ballot was brought up. The administrator, Art Keenann, argued against such an approach saying that a two question proposal on a referendum would not make such a referendum binding but act only an advisory referendum. So what is so bad about having a advisory referendum and putting all viable proposals on the ballot?
Art Keenan said that at a meeting he had attended that Governor Thompson had assured Wisconsin School Districts that as long as he was Govenor that there would always be state aid available for helping fund building programs. Thompson has nearly 4 years to go in his administration so we have time to make wise decisions.
There seems to be a very strong desire through out the district to keep a school in all three communities. Board Member, Tim Welch said: "I would like to ask each of the board members to support a proposal, whatever that is, that makes a commitment to all three communities. For myself, I do not believe that the detachment of the Wilton area is the best options out there for this district but I would support detachment before I would support any option that does not include a commitment to all three communities."
Toni Von Ruden writes: "What we don't have is the faith, courage, and the strength to keep the (Wilton) school open."
Perhaps, Toni's statement is the crux of this whole thing, We are so worried about the cost that we have forgotten what schools are all about. TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. The NOW Committee has presented their facts and figures to the taxpayers and the EKW Board, However, their has been no real fact and figures from the EKW Board on what the proposed 3 site configuration includes nor what it would cost to operate the district at its present configuration. (The actual cost of operation over this past two years)
Until those figures are available it is not possible for the electors to know what they are really going to be getting for their money. Like McAnany and others I still think that the first step is for all factions to get their, FACTS, PROPOSALS AND COSTS together and then present them to the public on an ADVISORY REFERENDUM.
If all of us work hard at it we could have that information ready so that it could be a part of the REFERENDUM TO EXCEED THE REVENUE CAP which must occur within the next four months and would be very little additional cost to the school district.
Such an advisory referendum could include the following:
*******************************************************
At the June 10th Board of Education Meeting in Kendall. Mike O'Gara gave me
this June 9th 1999 copy of the Wisconsin State Journal with those Headlines:
Jeff Mayers - reporter for the WSJ said:
A state high school graduation test that top lawmakers once endorsed has flunked.
Members of the Legislature's budget writing panel, in a surprise vote on Tuesday, killed a
$10 million plan to finance the four part, 12 hour state test for the class of 2003 and
beyond.
The vote by the Joint Finance Committee is a defeat for GOP Governor Thompson, who has made the graduation test a major plank of his education reform agenda.
His plan gained legislative approval in the previous budget go-round. But criticism has
been building ever since -- from those who disagree with the testing altogether, from those
who think it is to tough and from those
who do not think it is tough enough.
Madison School Superintendent, Art Rainwater said, "To test a child on one day on a set of facts and problems after 12 years of education ...I don't believe is the best way to determine a high school graduate." State Senator, Bob Jauch, "We should be helping kids not flunking kids." He said he thought the money could be better used for reducing class size, improving literacy and other things.
Governor Thompson said the committee's action removes accountability from schools and allows students to get a high school diploma without demonstrating reading, writing and math skills.
"While the rest of the nation is moving forward with stricter accountability for our schools, Wisconsin is taking a serious misstep backwards." Thompson said. He urged reinstatement of the test in future budget deliberations. But the 13-3 vote to kill the funding makes it difficult to put the money back into the budget for testing. "I would say it is dead in the water."said Rep. John Gard.
*********************
I then went to the DPI Education WEB Page
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/edforum/ef0242_2.html
June 11-18, 1999.
Superintendent of Public Instruction John T. Benson
expressed "great disappointment" over the Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) rejection of a
proposed high school graduation test early this week.
"The public outcry for greater accountability from our public schools requires that we provide the evidence that our high school graduates are adequately prepared for life and work," said Benson, who echoed the sentiments of Gov. Tommy Thompson that the JCF vote was a "serious misstep backwards." Thompson and Benson jointly called for a high school graduation test more than 18 months ago.
"Some parents, educators, and others believe that a single test is not enough to determine a child's preparedness to graduate from high school," he continued. "We agree. When combined with other factors, however, successful performance on a test measuring knowledge outlined in the state academic standards will ensure a child's preparedness."
Benson lauded a compromise proposal that would have offered young adults an incentive--in the form of a diploma endorsement--to "take the test seriously and do their best." The proposal, advanced by Sen. Rick Grobschmidt (D-South Milwaukee) and Rep. Luther Olsen (R-New Berlin), would have required districts to use the graduation test in addition to a number of locally determined criteria for awarding a diploma.
"I am convinced that a graduation test would provide further evidence of the high-quality education provided in our public schools," the state superintendent said. "After the dust settled, 90 percent or more of our students would be able to demonstrate that they are ready to tackle life's challenges."
Benson hopes that the full Senate and Assembly will reconsider the need for a
meaningful graduation test as part of their continuing
budget deliberations this summer.
***********************************************
*********************************************
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Lycos - Search the Web
CareerPath - Where Employers and Employees Click