Shell Lake, Wisconsin – Governor Scott Walker traveled to Shell Lake Elementary and High School today to discuss the historic K-12 and rural school investments included in his biennial budget proposal with students, teachers, and staff. The governor’s proposal lifts K-12 investment to $11.5 billion over two years, an all-time high, and includes $649 million in new state aids for all K-12 schools in the state.

“Every single student in Wisconsin deserves equal access to a great education, regardless of their zip code,” Governor Walker said. “That’s why our state budget proposal makes targeted investments that support our rural schools, including high-cost transportation aid and sparsity aid. By easing some of the unique challenges rural schools face, such as high transportation costs, those school districts are better able to invest in providing our kids with a quality education that will prepare them for college, a career, and real life.”

The Shell Lake School District is estimated to receive $7.6 million in funding from the state under Governor Walker’s biennial budget, including:

  • An increase of $359,380 in Per Pupil Aid. Governor Walker’s budget proposal increases per-pupil funding by $200 per pupil in Fiscal Year 2018 and $204 per pupil in Fiscal Year 2019 – the largest increase since the 2005-2008 biennium.
  • An increase of $110,633 in High-Cost Transportation Aid. High-Cost Transportation Aid provides additional transportation aid to school districts with per-pupil transportation costs more than 150 percent of the state average and with a density of 50 pupils per square mile or less.
  • An increase of $137,356 in Sparsity Aid. Sparsity Aid provides $300 per pupil of additional funding to small rural districts that have less than 745 pupils and a population density of fewer than 10 pupils per square mile of district attendance. Governor Walker’s budget proposal also creates a $100 per pupil tier of Sparsity Aid funding for districts with 746-1000 pupils, which provides additional stability for school districts that hover around the 745 buffer.

The Shell Lake School District may also be eligible for further funding under Governor Walker’s budget proposal, such as mental health grants, energy efficiency incentives, and special needs grants.

To learn more about Governor Walker’s proposed investment in K-12 education, click here. Governor Walker’s full 2017 Budget Address can be found here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email