Conservative members of the Wisconsin legislature introduced four proposals on Nov. 10th that would financially incentivize school districts throughout the state due to Wisconsin’s declining population, according to an email statement from State Representative Amanda Nedweski of District 32.
“70% of Wisconsin’s 421 districts have seen enrollment declines in recent years,” Rep. Nedweski said in an emailed statement.
Wisconsin’s general population will decrease by more than 200,000 by 2050, according to Rep. Nedweski.
UW education professor Christopher Saldaña said the state already subsidizes the smaller districts with Sparsity Aid.
“That goes to smaller school districts to help them deal with the fact that they cover larger geographical areas,” Saldaña said.
School districts with smaller populations usually have to cover larger areas, as they are mostly rural districts, Saldaña said.
Professor Saldaña said the first option districts will use to grapple with falling enrollment numbers is to close schools. With decreasing numbers, school facilities become too costly to be kept open.
“It’s almost like a precursor to district consolidation,” Saldaña said. “Once you have fewer and fewer students, you need fewer and fewer schools.”
The process of school district consolidation is outlined in Wisconsin State Statute 117.08. First, the school boards wish to consolidate, adopting a resolution in favor of the merger, according to the statute. After a resolution is approved, they must notify the public and hold a joint hearing.
After the hearing, the consolidating school boards work together to make a formal reorganization plan, according to the statute. The plan is put on a ballot for voter approval as a referendum, and must be approved for consolidation to move forward, according to the statute.
Declining enrollments will affect the smaller districts more, Rep. Nedweski wrote.
“Fewer students mean less state aid [for consolidating],” Nedweski wrote. “These bills do give the smaller districts the tools and incentives they need to respond to these challenges.”
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, the new consolidation bill will increase the amount of money schools would receive for consolidating only in 2026, 2027 or 2028. The payment per student would increase from $150 per student to $2,000 only if they consolidate in the next three years.
The model of consolidation can vary by state, according to Rep. Nedweski. Different areas or school districts could handle certain grade sections under one consolidated school district. For example, in one small school district area, district A could handle grades K-6, while district B could teach 6-12, according to Rep. Nedweski.
Professor Saldaña emphasized that district consolidation should be about prioritizing the students in the districts.
“When you make these operational and organizational changes, we always have to think about kids,” Saldaña said. “If we’re really worried about whether schools afford things anymore, is it that we can’t afford it or that we don’t want to pay for it?”
