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Education recommendations > Raise the reimbursement for special education costs

Raise the reimbursement for special education costs

Of all states with a reimbursement system for special education costs,
​Wisconsin’s rate of 28.2% is the country’s lowest. 
​
he state commits a relatively large portion of its discretionary budget toward K-12 education. This funding comes in two pots: general school aids and categorial aids, funded by general purpose tax revenue. The general school aid formula distributes funding throughout the state to the 421 school districts. The state school aid formula has an equalization goal to provide more aid to those districts with lower property values. The second pot of funding, categorical aid, is aimed at delivering state funding for specific educational purposes. There are currently 31 categories of aid. These categories have built up over time to address specific needs or respond to new priorities. 
​
Special education funding is categorical aid to support the additional cost to serving students with special needs. Because independent charter and choice schools have significantly lower per-pupil funding, the cost burden for providing special education services is even greater.
One thing all three sectors -- MPS, charter and choice -- have in common is the makeup of the students. All three sectors serve economically disadvantaged students (80-82%) and students who are English learners (9-12%). There is, however, a gap serving students with disabilities (10-21%), with MPS carrying the higher number in this range. Raising reimbursements for the costs of special education would have the added benefit of giving more parents options, while lessening the concentration of special education students 
in MPS.
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Increase reimbursement for special education costs
MMAC supports raising reimbursement for special education costs to 50%. As noted by the 2019 Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding and highlighted by research from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, Wisconsin continues to trail the nation in funding support for students with disabilities. 
Investment: $650-700M
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  • JOIN
  • Membership
    • The benefits of joining
    • Member directory >
      • Member Spotlights
      • Talent Solutions Directory
    • What we do >
      • Talent >
        • Ranking Milwaukee County Schools
        • Education recommendations
        • Technology Education & Literacy in Schools (TEALS)
        • Career-based learning experiences
      • Growth
      • Livability
      • Equity
      • Peer metro comparison
    • Cost saving programs >
      • Health insurance plan
      • Office supply discount program
    • Events >
      • 2021 All Member Meeting
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit
      • Talent Solution Series
      • Emerging Leaders Series
      • Global Business Insights Series
      • Member Orientation
      • Replay: The Business of MKE Series
      • Replay: Race Bridge Series
    • For members only >
      • Fall 2022 Impact Report
      • Sponsorship
      • Advertising
    • Need more info?
  • Networks
    • Leadership Council
    • President's Huddle
    • Executive roundtable program
    • FUEL Milwaukee for young professionals
    • Future 50 Awards Program
    • Networking Forum for referrals
    • Region of Choice Initiative
    • Roundtables for high-growth companies
    • World Trade Association
  • Advocacy
    • 2021-2022 Legislative Scorecard >
      • Senate Votes
      • Assembly Votes
    • Recent Legislative Wins
    • Funding Local Governments
    • Miller Park economic impact study
    • Wisconsin State Legislature
    • K-12 Education Recommendations
  • Economic Development
    • Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development
    • MKE Venture Mentoring Service
    • Milwaukee Development Corp. >
      • Rebuild & Revitalize Program
    • Milwaukee Urban Strategic Investment Corp. (MUSIC)
    • Milwaukee EB-5 Visa program
    • Starting a business >
      • BizStarts
      • New business planning guide
  • Metro MKE
    • 2022 Navigate Business MKE
    • Business outlook survey
    • Economic trends
    • Local media listings
    • Major employers in metro Milwaukee
    • Metro Milwaukee demographics
    • Order a publication
    • Relocating a business
  • About
    • Board of directors
    • Career Opportunities at MMAC
    • Staff
    • Milwaukee Commerce magazine
    • Press releases
    • Members of the media >
      • Recent Media Coverage
    • Scholarships for minority students