(The Center Square) – A group of five Wisconsin K-12 school consolidation bills passed an Assembly committee after slight modifications on Thursday.
One bill was amended to give a one-time $1,500 per student payment for schools that consolidate in 2027, 2028 and 2029 before providing $650 per student in the second year and then $150 per student in the next three years to help the schools through the process.
The bill was amended after school districts testified at a public hearing on Tuesday saying that 2026 would be too soon for schools to consolidate.
“It’s the same amount of money but it would make it easier for budgets,” said Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay.
Rep. Joe Sheehan, D-Sheboygan, said that the most important part of the bills for him were feasibility studies, including a statewide study and local studies costing up to $25,000. Sheehan voted for the feasibility studies but did not support the other consolidation bills.
Rep. Angelina Cruz, D-Racine, voiced opposition to the bills, saying “closing schools de-stabilizes communities.”
The measures are aimed at helping school districts use consolidation to combat decreased enrollments and aging buildings across the state. Public school enrollment in Wisconsin is expected to decline by 200,000 students by 2050. The state has seen an estimated 10,000 fewer students each year.
The bills also include grants for districts that consolidate but have differing levy limits and school board consolidation grants of $500 per student for whole grade sharing.
Kitchens reiterated that the bills are funding for voluntary consolidations and that “no one is calling for schools to board up their windows” after Cruz said that the bills were asking for schools to do that.
Kitchens compared the bills to efforts to fix Social Security issues on a national level with many knowing it is an issue but efforts to fix the issue leading to complaints, saying “lead, follow or get out of the way.”
“We are giving options to schools because we know, down the line, that has to happen,” Kitchens said. “Let’s give them the tools.”
