Labor: Vote Yes on Madison School Referendum
On September 15, delegates of the South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL) voted unanimously in support of the Madison School Referendum on the ballot November 4. The SCFL vote in favor of the referendum followed one by Madison Teachers Incorporated (MTI), which has also endorsed the school referendum.
Since 1993, Wisconsin schools have operated under a state-imposed revenue limit law which restricts the amount of revenue school districts can collect each year. For the Madison schools, this law has allowed school revenues to increase by approximately 2.2% each year, well below the rate of inflation and insufficient to cover operating costs.
Nationwide, the cost-of-living has increased between August 2007 and August 2008 by 5.4%, led by a 35% increase in the cost of gasoline and a 15% increase in heating fuels and utilities. Even with award-winning efforts in energy efficiency, the Madison school district anticipates electricity costs to increase by another 5.2% in 2008-09; natural gas by 4.9% and pupil transportation by 4.2%. Reflecting national trends, District health care costs have increased an average of 8.9% for 2008-09. Maintenance materials and building supplies have increased between 5% and 50% during the last few years. Any cost increase over the 2.2% average increase allowed by the revenue limit results in a necessary decrease (cut) elsewhere in the budget, i.e. educational opportunities and services to kids.
Cut to the Bone
Because the state-imposed revenue limits are insufficient to cover school costs, Madison schools have been forced to make increasingly severe cuts each year. In fact, since 1993 when the revenue caps were imposed, over 700 positions have been eliminated and over $60 million in educational programs and services have been cut.
During the first few years of the revenue limit, the District focused on creating efficiencies – changes intended to reduce costs by performing the same service at less cost. As the revenue limits continued to force cuts, the District moved from identifying efficiencies to identifying which services could be reduced or eliminated with the least adverse impact on the classroom. Janitorial services have been reduced, class sizes were increased, some programs and athletic offerings were eliminated, and student fees were increased. The District is now at the point where reductions directly impact the classroom.
The November 4 ballot will ask the public to support a referendum to allow the Madison schools to exceed the state-imposed revenue limits by $5 million during the 2009-10 school year, $4 million in 2010-11 and $4 million for 2011-12 on a recurring basis. Should the referendum fail, the Madison schools will need to make $8 million in cuts from educational services for the 2009-10 school year with an additional $4 million cut in 2010-11 and again in 2011-12.
Dire Straights
Without a referendum, more educational programs and athletic offerings will be eliminated, student support services will be further reduced, class sizes will be increased even more and fees increased yet again. In other words, further cuts will severely compromise the quality of education traditionally received by Madison’s students.
According to MTI Assistant Director Doug Keillor, “This is not just a Madison problem, it’s a statewide problem, forcing school districts throughout the State to referendum.”
According to data from the Department of Public Instruction, since January 2008, over 49 school referenda have been passed statewide including a $20.8 million referendum for La Crosse schools, a $16.5 million referendum for Racine schools and a $3.9 million referendum for Middleton-Cross Plain’s schools.
On November 4, another 41 school referenda will be on the ballot around the state to address everything from constructing new school buildings (Brillion Schools, $23.7 million); adding swimming pools (Sun Prairie Schools, $3.9 million); funding capital maintenance programs (Oregon Schools, $4 million); and maintaining educational programs (Lodi Schools $2.6 million; Gibraltar Schools $5.5 million; and Madison Metro School District $13 million).
“With the state-imposed revenue limits, going to referendum is the only way to continue to provide quality educational opportunities in most Wisconsin school districts,” said Keillor.
According to Keillor, comprehensive school finance reform is the only long-term solution to the school finance crisis, “A referendum is only a band-aid, not a cure.” But school finance reform is dependent on electing legislators who recognize the importance of public schools to the state’s economic well-being.
This November we have a chance to elect such legislators who will consider at least two comprehensive school finance reform proposals currently being discussed. Given the timing of the State budget, however, comprehensive school finance reform is at least two years away. Therefore, passing the Madison referendum on November 4 is an essential band-aid to stop further cuts until comprehensive school finance reform can be achieved.