Jason Arndt, jarndt@shawanoleader.com
The Shawano School District will receive an estimated 5.15 percent more in state aid in the 2014-15 school year than this year, according to estimates released this week by the Department of Public Instruction.
More than half of Wisconsin’s 424 public school districts also will receive increases, according to the DPI.
The DPI projects Shawano will receive $13.4 million in general aid for 2014-15, up from $12.7 million this year.
Three other area districts — Marion, Gresham and Menominee Indian — also will receive more aid, according to the projections, while Bonduel, Bowler, Clintonville, Tigerton and Wittenberg-Birnamwood would get less aid than this year.
Officials cautioned, however, that the projections are just estimates and that final numbers won’t be known until October.
“If we get that much, it would be great, but not all districts have submitted their audits to the state,” said Louise Fischer, Shawano School District business manager.
State statutes require the DPI to submit estimates to each school district by July 1. The districts use the estimates as they prepare their budgets for the following school year.
“We have a placeholder for equalized aid, and between now through early October are just estimates,” Fischer said.
The final aid numbers are dependent on the official enrollment count, which is taken on the third Friday of September, property values from each of the 424 districts and shared costs of each district. The DPI certifies the general aid amounts on Oct. 15.
Shawano School District received $11.9 million in state aid in 2011-12, $12.1 million in 2012-13 and $12.7 million in 2013-14.
Statewide, general school aid is set at $4.5 billion for 2014-15, a 2.1 percent increase over this year. Actual aid payments are estimated at $4.3 billion because of reductions for the Milwaukee school voucher program and independent charter schools in Racine and Milwaukee counties.
The DPI’s July estimates do not include per-pupil categorical aid, which will be paid in March. The appropriation for that aid is $127 million, or $150 per pupil, a $75 per-pupil increase over 2013-14.
FYI
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction state aid projections:
District 2013-14 2014-15 Difference Percent
Bonduel 4,725,449 4,525,701 -199,748 - 4.23
Bowler 2,989,598 2,955,069 -34,529 -1.15
Clintonville 9,227,063 8,946,500 -280,563 -3.04
Gresham 1,624,860 1,719,938 95,708 5.85
Marion 2,562,966 2,687,444 124,478 4.86
Menominee Indian 6,360,415 6,949,328 588,913 9.26
Shawano 12,755,625 13,412,680 657,055 5.15
Tigerton 1,439,793 1,223,054 -216,739 -15.05
Witt-Birn 7,103,890 6,958,512 -145,378 -2.05