West De Pere school aid increase is area's largest
Patti Zarling, Press-Gazette Media 1:57 p.m. CDT July 15, 2015
Most school districts in the Green Bay area expect to see minor changes in general state aid, according to numbers released by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction earlier this month.
The Green Bay district — the state's fourth-largest district with about 21,000 students — would see a slight increase of 2.83 percent, or about $4 million, to $141.7 million for the 2015-16 school year under early DPI estimates.
District spokeswoman Lori Blakeslee said the increase is based on growing student enrollment. The Green Bay district received $137.8 million in state aid for the 2014-15 school year.
Officials noted the extra funding does not mean additional dollars in the classroom, but is meant to keep tax levies stable.
About half of the state's 424 school districts will see a drop in general aid, and half would see an increase.
State aid amounts are based on enrollment numbers and property values. Districts with increasing general aid typically have growing enrollments or decreasing property values.
Final aid figures are calculated in October.
The growing West De Pere School District would see a significant increase under the state aid formula. Aid is expected to increase 13.7 percent to $17.3 million for the upcoming school year from $15.3 million in 2014-15.
"The reason is the district grew quite a bit," business manager Kevin Hanson said.
The district added about 200 students between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years, he said.
That jump means the district's budget will go up, but homeowners still will see a drop in the tax levy, Hanson said.
"It should be quite substantial," he said.
Based on early estimates, the Ashwaubenon School District would take the biggest hit among Brown County schools for the 2015-16 school year.
The state forecasts a 15 percent drop, to $4.78 million from $5.6 million.
In recent years, Ashwaubenon has seen similar reductions, which have been tied to a $141 million increase in the district's property values following the closure of a tax-increment finance district.
A TIF district allows taxes paid on properties in the district to be used to pay for public works projects and other costs incurred by a city or village to prepare an area for development.
Overall school district revenues are capped by the state. Final aid figures are calculated in October.
— pzarling@pressgazettemedia.com or follow her on Twitter @PGPattiZarling
By the numbers
Preliminary reports show most Brown County school districts will see slight changes in general state aid for 2015-16. Here's a look at how amounts compare with 2014-15:
DISTRICT |
CHANGE (%) |
2014-15 (MILLIONS) |
2015-16 (MILLIONS) |
Ashwaubenon |
-15.08 |
$5.6 |
$4.8 |
Denmark |
+2.29 |
$8.14 |
$8.32 |
De Pere |
-2.23 |
$21.6 |
$21.1 |
Green Bay |
+2.83 |
$137.8 |
$141.7 |
Howard-Suamico |
+2.00 |
$34.0 |
$34.7 |
Pulaski |
+1.36 |
$22.8 |
$23.1 |
West De Pere |
+13.7 |
$15.26 |
$17.3 |
— Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction