WiRSA Update - July 15, 2025

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Quick Overview of WiRSA Update: BACK TO THE TOP

  • CEF Committee for Education Funding - Update/News

  • DPI News

  • AASA Information

  • News Articles

  • WiRSA Conference Information

WiRSA Conference Keynote 2025 - Mark Mambretti

Lasting success depends on everyone working together to provide a memorable experience.  Discover how simple principles and leadership lessons that have been perfected at the world’s leading theme park can apply to any office and every role in a school system. We'll explore both a philosophical framework for leaders and also provide concrete actions which will foster authentic engagement.

You'll discover the method behind the "Magic" of improving your workplace's culture, climate, and results.

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6 BREAKOUT SESSIONS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!!

WiRSA Conference Registration / Room Information

WiRSA Conference Registration

Website Link Registration Link

Stevens Point Convention Center

Thursday, October 30 & Friday October 31, 2025

Wednesday, October 29 (7:00 pm. Reception)

Registration Questions - Kelly Jahoda (CESA 5), jahodak@cesa5.org / 608-745-5422

WiRSA Conference Room Reservations

Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center

  • Rate: $98.00 Single Occupancy State Rate - $120.00 Double Occupancy State Rate

  • If you want to make reservations over the phone, please call 715-344-0200 and press #1. When making reservations, please reference the group name for WiRSA Conference 2025 or the Group Block Code: RSA.

  • Our group rate will be available until September 29, 2025 or (until the block is full). On this date, any remaining rooms in your block will be released for general reservations at the hotel's prevailing daily rate, which may be higher than your group rate. Please book by 9/25/2025.

DPI - News!

Press Releases: - Current News Releases from DPI

Informational

Click on the picture to see the complete legislative information from AASA

Rural School Impact:

  1. Small Increases in Key Federal Programs:

    • The FY26 Senate bill includes modest funding increases for Title I (low-income support), IDEA (special education), and REAP (Rural Education Achievement Program), which directly benefits rural schools that often rely on REAP for essential services and programming.

  2. Release of Withheld FY25 Federal Funds:

    • The Department of Education released $4.9 billion in previously frozen K-12 funds, including Title I-C, II-A, III-A, and IV-A funds. These are critical to rural districts that already budgeted for this funding to provide:

  3. ESEA Waiver Flexibility:

    • New guidance from the U.S. Department of Education invites states to use waivers to reduce burdens and encourage innovation. This can help rural districts streamline compliance and explore new models of education that fit small or isolated communities better.

Concerns:

  • While funding has been released, the Department plans to implement “guardrails” to ensure alignment with federal priorities. It’s not yet clear how these will affect rural schools, and whether they’ll create new administrative challenges.

  • A Brookings analysis warns of the trade-offs of block-granting federal funds. If block grants replace targeted programs like REAP or Title I, rural schools may lose dedicated funding streams, reducing support for their unique needs.

While rural schools will benefit from the release of frozen funds and increased flexibility, uncertainty around federal conditions and future funding structures could pose challenges. The modest increases in key rural-focused programs are a positive step, but continued advocacy will be needed to ensure rural voices remain heard in future policy debates.

Informational

K-12 FUNDING PROVISIONS IN THE 2025-27 BIENNIUM

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a new memo, Estimated Effects of K-12 Funding Provisions for School Districts in the 2025-27 Biennium, which provides information about the estimated effects of major K-12 funding previsions related to revenue limits and categorical aids in the 2025-27 biennium. According to the memo (the full memo includes funding columns):

Revenue Limit Per Pupil Adjustment

  • 2023 Enrolled Senate Bill 70 (the 2023-25 biennial budget bill) would have set the per pupil adjustment under revenue limits at $325 in 2023-24 and 2024-25, and there would have been no per pupil adjustment in 2025-26 and each year thereafter.

  • The Governor's partial veto modified the language of the per pupil adjustment so that the $325 adjustment would apply from 2023 through 2425, and the Supreme Court upheld the partial veto.

  • Under 2025 Act 15 (the 2025-27 biennial budget act), no changes were made to these per pupil adjustment provisions.

Special Education Aid

  • Act 15 special education funding was increased to provide an estimated reimbursement rate of 42% of eligible costs in 2025-26 and 45% in 2026-27.

  • Act 15 provides an additional $207,631,100 GPR in 2025-26 and $297,049,200 GPR in 2026-27, which would fund an estimated 42% and 45% of costs, respectively.

High Cost Special Education Aid

  • Under Act 15, high cost special education funding was increased to provide an estimated reimbursement rate of 50% of eligible costs in 2025-26 and 90% in 2026-27.

  • Act 15 provides an additional $14,606,700 GPR in 2025-26 and $39,970,300 GPR in 2026-27, which would fund an estimated 50% and 90% of costs, respectively.

School-Based Mental Health Services Grants

  • Base level funding of $10,000,000 GPR is provided for grants to school districts and independent charter schools for collaboration with community partners to provide mental health services to pupils.

  • An additional $15 million GPR was provided on a one-time basis in 2023-24 and 2024-25 under 2023 Act 19, so that total funding in those years was $25 million GPR.

  • Act 15 provides a one-time increase of $30 million GPR in 2025-26 for school-based mental health services grants.

  • For 2026-27, total funding will again be $10 million. (It is estimated that this amount of funding would provide payments of approximately $50 per pupil in 2025-26 and $12.50 per pupil in 2026-27 and future years.)

Gov. Evers Press Releases / News / Articles / Webinars

Legislative CEF Update


Tuesday, August 5, 2025

No new updates at this time

OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY

OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY SAFETY RESOURCES TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES VIRTUAL LEARNING

Office of School Safety Training Opportunities

BTAM Training Opportunities

Several BTAM training opportunities are still available. A few dates have been added since our last newsletter, and scheduling for the 2025-2026 school year is underway. Training dates/sites are listed below. Registration links are available on the OSS website Training Opportunities page. Please consider bringing a team and joining us!

Friday, August 8th – Lakeview Technical Academy - Kenosha

Monday, August 11th – Kromrey Middle School - Middleton

Wednesday, August 13th – Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District - Galesville

Monday, November 3rd – Greendale High School - Greendale

Comprehensive School Safety: Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and Standard Reunification Method (SRM) Events

Tuesday, August 5 – SRM (half day) – Sheboygan Falls High School, Sheboygan Falls

Wednesday, August 6 – SRP and SRM – North Central Technical College, Wausau

Wednesday, August 13 – SRP and SRM – Kenosha County Center, Bristol

Monday, August 18 – SRP and SRM – Brodhead High School, Brodhead

Wednesday, August 20 – SRP and SRM – Greendale High School, Greendale

 

For more information on these and future trainings with OSS, please visit our Training Opportunities webpage.

Legislative Update


Bill Updates

Bills Introduced

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