Wisconsin DPI: 2024-25 general school aids for districts released
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction posted on Tuesday, Oct. 15 state general school aids that school districts will receive during the current school year.
Milwaukee Public Schools said it will receive approximately $587 million for the 2024-25 school year – which is short of the $595 million the district's proposed budget anticipated, in terms of general aid.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
As a result, MPS said it is calculating additional changes to its Special Needs Scholarship Program and is in the process of determining the final adjustment amount. An amended budget will be presented to the school board on Oct. 29.
The DPI said the certified financial figures are based on data from the previous school year – including student counts and year-end financial data. The information published includes certified general school aid amounts for each school district, as well as 2024-25 student enrollment numbers for independent charter schools and private schools participating in the Private School Choice Programs (PSCP) and the Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP). Certain enrollment numbers for these programs are used to determine the dollar amounts to be withheld from school districts' aid payments to fund the programs as applicable.
Officials said general school aid is the largest form of state support for PK-12 schools in Wisconsin and are based on prior-year data.
The DPI is required by state law to release the certified aid figures by Oct. 15 of each year. General school aid amounts for school districts are calculated using student counts and year-end financial data from the previous school year (2023-24). This certified data replaces preliminary aid estimates released in July.
General school aids
Wisconsin DPI officials say the 2023-2025 state biennial budget increased funding for general school aids for the 2024-25 school year by 4.2% ($224.9 million) to a total of $5.58 billion. Statewide, a majority of general aid is equalization aid, which is distributed according to a formula designed to help Wisconsin communities provide public education despite local differences in property wealth. The formula incorporates school district expenditures, property values, and resident student counts (called "membership").
The other, smaller elements of general school aids are integration aid (or "Chapter 220" aid) and special adjustment aid. The latter, also known as "hold harmless" aid, prevents districts from receiving more than a 15% reduction in aid from year to year and will go to 69 districts for 2024-25.
Aid varies widely by district based on the equalization formula. Of 421 districts, 276 (66%) will receive more aid for 2024-25 than in 2023-24; 137 (33%) will receive less.
Aid amounts for each school district can be found on the department's School Financial Services webpage, both alphabetically and by percent change. General school aids are paid in four installments during the school year.