Driving Student Success and Supporting Wisconsin’s
Rural Schools
Our top priority is
making sure Wisconsin’s students, regardless of their ZIP code, get access to a
high-quality education which gives them all the knowledge and tools they need
to excel.
Our state’s rural school
districts face a unique set of challenges. That’s why, in addition to our
historic $11.5 billion investment in K-12 education which supports every
student in every school in the state, we also provide further support for
Wisconsin’s rural schools.
We increased funding for High-Cost Transportation Aid by over $10 million to help offset the increased cost
of transporting students to schools in rural areas, and we further invested in
addressing students’ mental health needs through increased training and access
to care. And we will continue to provide Broadband Expansion Grants for underserved areas of the state so schools and
students can gain access to fast, reliable internet service, including mobile
hotspots for school buses.
On top of that,
Representative John Nygren (R—Marinette) and Senator Howard Marklein (R—Spring Green) are introducing a bill that
incorporates initiatives from our original budget proposal to help rural
schools.
The proposed bill would
increase per-student Sparsity Aid for qualifying school districts from $300 to
$400 for the 2018-19 school year to help offset the challenges faced by low-population
rural schools. It also raises the Low Revenue Ceiling incrementally from its
current level of $9,100 to $9,800 by the 2022-23 school year.
The bill simultaneously
stays accountable to local voters and protects property taxpayers in that districts
where a referendum to raise the revenue limit was rejected by the voters within
the past three years would not be allowed to raise their revenue limit for some period of time.
We’re pleased Representative
Nygren and Senator Marklein are spearheading increased support for rural schools on top of our
historic investment in K-12 education. It's one more way we're moving Wisconsin forward.
Youth Apprenticeship Helps Wisconsin’s Students
Achieve Their Dreams
Last week, I visited
schools across Wisconsin to highlight the great work our students are doing as
part of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Youth Apprenticeship
Program.
The program connects high
school students with experienced mentors and employers in a field of the
student’s choosing to receive hands-on training and real, employable skills. From
finance to art, from construction to health science, students have the
opportunity to learn more about their chosen field firsthand, all while making
connections with potential employers and demonstrating a willingness to go
above and beyond their required coursework.
Youth Apprenticeship
helps develop our state’s highly-skilled workforce and provides our students
with an innovative, concrete approach to education outside the classroom. For
more information on the Youth Apprenticeship Program, visit https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/youthapprenticeship/.
We enjoy sharing all the great news about our state with you. It is an honor to serve as your Governor and represent the people of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
 Governor Scott Walker
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