WiRSA Update - May 21, 2025
Thank You! - WiRSA 2024 Conference Sponsors
Quick Overview of WiRSA Update: BACK TO THE TOP
WISCONSIN OFFICE OF RURAL PROSPERITY - June Webinar Housing Series
Webinar #1 - From Tour to Transformation: Laying the Groundwork for Developer Interest
Webinar #2 - Innovative Solutions for Rural Housing: Success Stories and Strategies
Webinar #3 - Boost Rural Housing with Tax Increment Financing
Community Economic Development - States to’s top export Market is ??
2023 Wisconsin Act 11 - What is ACT 11? Per Pupil Choice and Charter Payments and School District Revenue Ceiling
Under the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program, the U.S. Department of Education awards grants on a formula basis to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) to address the unique needs of rural school districts. The Department will send an email with a unique application link on May 14, 2025, to each LEA that is eligible and estimated to receive a positive allocation for an FY 2025 SRSA grant award. The email will include detailed instructions for completing the electronic application.
How much federal education aid does your school or congressional district receive?
A breakdown from the Education Law Center
Legislative Update - Assembly and Senate Bills
LFB’s review of collection data and the new economic forcast
Bills Introduced / Public Hearing Held / Senate Committee on Education Paper Ballot
DPI News
New reporting requirement guidance: Crimes Statistics on School Property
NREA (National Rural Education Association) Update
Registration for the National Forum to Advance Rural Education in Salt Lake City, Utah
This year’s theme:
Deeply Rooted in Rural Education: Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities
Explore bold ideas, meaningful collaboration, and future-ready solutions.
Highlights include: Keynotes from Dr. Rick Rigsby and Cassandra Worthy
Launch of the 2025 Why Rural Matters Report
150+ engaging learning sessions
NEW: AI Summit—a half-day deep dive into AI in rural schools
Networking events, receptions, and more!
WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM
WiSCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO
NPR
DA - District Administrator
Economic Policy Institute
ELC - Public Funds Public Schools
U.S. Dept. of Education
Informational
June Webinar Series:
Housing in Rural Wisconsin
Quality housing is the foundation of thriving rural communities, playing a vital role in ensuring their sustainability and vitality. The Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP) is proud to present a new webinar series designed to help small towns lead the way in smart, sustainable housing development. Join us to explore strategies, partnerships, and planning tools that can spark long-term prosperity in your community.
Link to all 3 webinars
WEBINAR #1
Wednesday, June 4, Noon-1 p.m.
From Tour to Transformation:
Laying the Groundwork for Developer Interest
Explore the power of hosting developer tours as a tool for showcasing your community’s potential. Developer tours are organized events that guide developers through a series of potential development sites that are significant to a local community. These tours are designed to showcase the region’s potential for community development and allow regions to demonstrate their readiness for new investments and create relationships for future developments within their region. Learn why these tours matter, what developers are really looking for, and how to prepare your community to make a lasting impression. Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your strategy, this session will provide practical steps and real-world examples to help you turn a simple visit into future investment.
You'll be hearing from Michelle Lawrie, executive director of Door County Economic Development Corporation, on the successes she's had with hosting developer tours and ORP staff will share two tools to help you get started.
WEBINAR #2
Tuesday, June 24, 11 a.m.-Noon
Innovative Solutions for Rural Housing:
Success Stories and Strategies
Housing availability in rural areas significantly impacts local economies, social stability, and community development. Expanding housing in these regions is complex and challenging. This session will showcase three case studies of housing development in rural communities, illustrating innovative solutions and successful collaborations. Learn about the critical role of community engagement and gain insights into the diverse capital stack strategies used to finance these projects.
WEBINAR #3
Thursday, June 26, 11 a.m.-Noon
Boost Rural Housing with Tax Increment Financing
Rural communities can effectively use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to stimulate housing development. By creating new Tax Increment Districts (TIDs) and utilizing TID closeout laws, municipalities can attract private investment and improve local infrastructure. This strategic approach not only enhances the housing stock but also fosters economic growth and community development. Join our session to learn more about these strategies and how to bring more housing dollars to your community from rural Wisconsin experts.
This workshop is geared toward local government officials, community planners, and rural development advocates looking to enhance housing opportunities in their areas.
Informational
Author: Steven Deller, Professor, Agricultural & Applied Economics
The current administration’s trade policies, including tariffs on key partners, have sparked renewed focus on the role of foreign exports in Wisconsin’s economy. Since 2010, Wisconsin’s exports have grown by 39%, or $7.7 billion, reaching a total of $27.5 billion in 2024 and accounting for 8.1% of the state's GDP. In comparison, U.S. share of GDP attributed to exports was 10.9% in 2024.
The state's top export market is Canada, accounting for $7.9 billion (29% of total exports), up 31.2% from 2010. Mexico follows closely with $4.4 billion (16% of exports), showing a dramatic 116.7% increase over the same period. Exports to China, by contrast, make up just 6% of the state's exports, and Germany accounts for 4%. READ MORE HERE
Informational
Wisconsin Act 11 adds an increase to the revenue ceiling into the statutory formula for calculating payment amounts, beginning in the 2024-25 school year. Specifically, the act adds the full amount of any positive change in the revenue ceiling to the per-pupil adjustment calculation in determining payments for students enrolled in an independent charter school, for students participating in the SNSP, and for students enrolled in grades 9-12 in the MPCP, RPCP, or WPCP. For students enrolled in kindergarten through 8th grade in the MPCP, RPCP, or WPCP, the act adds 90 percent of any positive change in the revenue ceiling to the per-pupil adjustment calculation. Click Here for the ACT 11 Memo
Informational
Notice from U.S. Department of Education:
SRSA Application for FY25 Now Open
Application Deadline:
June 28, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Under the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program, the U.S. Department of Education awards grants on a formula basis to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) to address the unique needs of rural school districts. The Department will send an email with a unique application link on May 14, 2025, to each LEA that is eligible and estimated to receive a positive allocation for an FY 2025 SRSA grant award. The email will include detailed instructions for completing the electronic application.
Master Eligibility Spreadsheet
The Department provides an eligibility spreadsheet listing each LEA eligible to apply for FY 2025 SRSA grant funds.
Additional Guidance for SRSA Applicants
This resource from the U.S. Department of Education provides key information for school districts preparing their applications.
Informational
HOW MUCH FEDERAL EDUCATION AID DOES YOUR SCHOOL OR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RECEIVE?
The Education Law Center released a new advocacy tool focused on federal PK-12 funding. Using the most recently released Census Survey of School System Finances (F33) reports for the 2022-23 school year, the interactive data tool provides a clear picture of how threats to federal funding would affect school districts as well as congressional districts. The data can be linked to a specific school or congressional district to allow users to easily generate customized talking points targeted to municipal or school district leaders as well as their representatives in Congress.
Legislative Update
Bill Updates
Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Based upon our review of the collections data and the new economic forecast, we believe that tax collections will be higher than the January 29 report by $22.0 million in 2024-25, and lower by $321.0 million in 2025-26 and $36.0 million in 2026-27. The three-year reduction is $335.0 million, or -0.49%. LFB Memo
AB257 This bill makes various changes to practice, licensure, and certification requirements for nurses, which are administered by the Board of Nursing.
AB226 - Relating to: prohibiting school boards and independent charter schools from providing food containing certain ingredients in free or reduced-price meals.
The Assembly Committee on Education met to vote to change which students can qualify for the academic excellence higher education scholarship.
AB 210, changes current statute to allow high schools with a senior class size under 80, to designate one student to qualify for said scholarship, as opposed to nominating a student to HEAB (Higher Educational Aids Board) who ultimately chooses 10 of these seniors statewide. After the vote, the committee also held a public hearing
AB 226, a bill to ban certain ingredients from being provided by schools through the National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program.
LRB-1617, LRB-1617 OurGov - relating to: rehired annuitants
Under current law, a WRS participant who has applied to receive a retirement annuity must wait at least 75 days between terminating covered employment with a WRS employer and returning to covered employment again as a participating employee. The bill reduces that period to 30 days.
Proposal: SB171 - View Bill History (Proposal: AB156 -View Bill History)- Relating to: requiring child sexual abuse prevention education.
5/7/2025: Public hearing held
Senate Committee on Education, Met at 10:00 am, Fri, May 16, Paper Ballot
SB-010 Recruiters (Cabral-Guevara, Rachael) Access to public high schools for military recruiters.
SB-011 Organization Information (Cabral-Guevara, Rachael) Allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property.
SB-022 School Materials Inspection (Tomczyk, Cory) Requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents.
AB-005 School Materials Inspection (Dittrich, Barbara) Requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents.
EXECUTIVE ACTION BY SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
SB-011 Organization Information (Cabral-Guevara, Rachael)Allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property. Passage recommended, 3-2 (Larson, Keyeski).
SB-010 Recruiters (Cabral-Guevara, Rachael)Access to public high schools for military recruiters. Passage recommended, 3-2 (Larson, Keyeski).
AB-005 School Materials Inspection (Dittrich, Barbara)Requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents. Passage recommended, 3-2 (Larson, Keyeski).
SB-022 School Materials Inspection (Tomczyk, Cory)Requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents. Passage recommended, 3-2 (Larson, Keyeski).
SB-170 & AB 196 - Relating to: rehired annuitants in the Wisconsin Retirement System.
This bipartisan bill would allow WRS annuitants to return to work without suspending their annuity. The bill would require employers to pay into the ETF (Department of Employee Trust Funds) equal to what the annuitant would have paid into the ETF had they forgoen their annuity. It also retains the 75-day break-in-service currently required by law.
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Legislative Maps - 2024 & 2022 (Interactive)
You can find your legislator and their contact information by CLICKING THIS LINK and entering your address.
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Gov. Evers Press Releases
DPI - News!
Press Releases: - Current News Releases from DPI
New Reporting Requirement Guidance: Crime Statistics on School Property
This requirement applies to public high schools, including independent charter schools with high school grades, and private schools participating in the Private School Choice Programs with high school grades. Under the law, these schools must report data to the Department of Public Instruction on any crimes occurring on school or district property.
Update From NREA (National Rural Education Association) From the NREA Weekly Update
Registration is OPEN — 2025 National Forum to Advance Rural Education
October 13–15, 2025 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Register Now
Planning ahead? Now’s the perfect time to register for the nation’s premier rural education conference—and check it off your list before the school year wraps up. Join hundreds of educators, leaders, and changemakers from across the country for a powerful three-day experience rooted in what makes rural education thrive.
This year’s theme:
Deeply Rooted in Rural Education: Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities
Explore bold ideas, meaningful collaboration, and future-ready solutions.
Highlights include:Keynotes from Dr. Rick Rigsby and Cassandra Worthy
Launch of the 2025 Why Rural Matters Report
150+ engaging learning sessions
NEW: AI Summit—a half-day deep dive into AI in rural schools
Networking events, receptions, and more!
Your registration includes: Breakfast, lunch, welcome party access, and full entry to all sessions—including the AI Summit—at no additional cost.
Reserve your spot and hotel room before summer break:
Questions?
Contact the event team at nfare@nrea.site.
News / Articles / Webinars
WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM
Wisconsin’s Shifting Import Economy
“Wisconsin consumers and businesses purchased $38.9 billion worth of imported goods in 2024, with machinery, pharmaceuticals, and vehicles among the top imports by value. Recent increases to U.S. tariffs seek to boost domestic manufacturing, but their cost and retaliation by major trading partners raise concerns about potential inflation, decreases in product availability, and unintended impacts to state manufacturers.”
WiSCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO
NPR
What to know about a federal proposal to help families pay for private school
The program — formerly known as “ECCA” and now called “Qualified Elementary and Secondary Education Scholarships” — would create a 100% tax break for the wealthy, allowing them to divert their taxes to private schools with zero accountability or transparency.
DA - District Administrator
Linda McMahon: Shutting down the Department won’t end K12 education
House Republicans want $5 billion for private school vouchers
It's part of an ongoing effort by President Donald Trump to expand school choice opportunities and give families more control over where and how their children are taught.
WEBINAR - Empowering Student Mental Wellness: The Science of Adolescent Emotional Development and School-Based Support
June 4 | 2 p.m. ET | 1 hour Register Today
3 ways the Education Department will prioritize discretionary grants
Economic Policy Institute
ELC - Public Funds Public Schools
U.S. Department of Education
OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY
