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Wisconsin Rapids School District, Wisconsin

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Taxes P
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Budget P
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Meetings Y
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Elected Officials Y
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Administrative Officials Y
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Contracts N
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Audits N
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Public records Y
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Academics Y
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Background checks Y
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School district websites
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Transparency grading process


Wisconsin Rapids School District is a school district in Wisconsin. "A unified school district with a school enrollment of approximately 5,800, the Wisconsin Rapids Public School District includes nine K-6 elementary schools, two junior high schools (grades 7-9), one senior high school (grades 10-12), one charter school (Central Cities Health Institute – grades 11-12) and an at-risk alternative school (grades 9-12)."[1]

[edit] Website evaluation

Main article: Evaluation of Wisconsin school district websites

[edit] The good

  • Older tax and budget information is posted.[2][3]
  • Meeting times, agendas and minutes are posted.[4][5]
  • Board members and their contact information are listed.[6]
  • Administrative contacts are listed.[7]
  • Board policies regarding access to public records under [Wisconsin Open Records Law]] are provided.[8]
  • Academic performance data is provided.[9]
  • Background check policy is posted under board policies.[10]

[edit] The bad

  • District funded lobbying is not discussed.
  • Contracts and audits are not posted.
  • Academic performance measures are not provided.
http://sunshinestandard.org
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[edit] School board

The school board is comprised of a superintendent and "such other officers as the legislature shall direct." The superintendent is appointed by the state legislature in the same manner as members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The superintendent can hold office for 4 years.[11] According to the state constitution the board of education may not prevent a non-union teacher from speaking of a bargaining issue at an open meeting, as was ruled in the U.S. Supreme Court case Madison School District v. Wisconsin Employment Commission.[12]

Below are the school district board members:[6]

School board member
Mary E. Rayome, President
Sandra K. Hett, Vice President
John A. Krings, Clerk
Larry Davis, Treasurer
Katie Medina
Anne Lee
John Benbow, Jr.

[edit] Teacher contracts

  • Note: Information about the current contract in Wisconsin Rapids is not disclosed on its website.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) helps to negotiate contracts with the teacher's union, the Education Association of Wisconsin. The website for WASB pitches "professional" assistance on collective bargaining agreements, policies, salary ranges and fringe benefit data as well as past court information.[13]

[edit] WASB legislative agenda

Annually, WASB publishes its current legislative agenda, which it separates into state and federal issues.[14]

[edit] State

The largest concern at the state level is financing for the schools. WASB noted that the state budget deficit is $5.4 billion, which is near the total spending on education in the state.[14] Therefore WASB asked that the state renew its commitment to paying 2/3 of the education costs in the state without raising property taxes, as they increased on an average of 4.9 percent between 2000 and 2005. In 2007, the school property taxes rose to 7.4 percent, which was the highest since 1992-3.

For state aid and funds WASB asks for:[14]

  • Coverage of 33 percent of the costs for bilingual-bicultural programs
  • Full state funding for special education programs
  • Funding to reduce the achievement gap between low income children and other children
  • Fully funding the existing "sparsity aid" program

Other aspects of the money constraints include the declining enrollment of students which is placing many school boards into tight budgets.[14] As such they are proposing:

  • School boards be allowed to increase their revenues by 2 percent about current limits
  • Set the low-revenue ceiling at 100 percent of the statewide average cost per pupil
  • Extend the hold-harmless revenue limit adjustment for two more years (currently one year)

Academic performance
The WASB also calls for a more individualized assessment of students than the current Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE) and online testing.[14]

[edit] Administrative staff

Below are the administrative staff members and their 2010 pay:[15]

Full Name Position Title Prorated Salary Prorated Fringe
Scott TowerAssistant Principal$85,488.00$31,731.00
Kathleen Stebbins-HintzPrincipal$104,821.00$38,013.00
Timothy BrunsPrincipal$96,811.00$35,717.00
Leeannette SchmidmayrPrincipal$96,811.00$35,939.00
Scott KelloggPrincipal$96,811.00$36,968.00
Kevin YeskeAssistant Principal$94,262.00$35,076.00
Robert ChristiansonPrincipal$111,899.00$38,018.00
Rodney HenkeAssistant Principal$94,262.00$35,443.00
Margie DorshorstPrincipal$96,811.00$35,562.00
Shannon MatottPrincipal$96,811.00$36,364.00
Steven SmithPrincipal$37,892.80$7,990.80
Terry WhitmorePrincipal$48,405.50$18,195.00
Terry WhitmorePrincipal$48,405.50$18,195.00
James GrayPrincipal$96,811.00$35,939.00
Matthew RenwickAssistant Principal$62,192.25$24,434.25
Tracy GinterPrincipal$104,821.00$36,987.00
Steven SmithAssistant Director of Special Education$56,839.20$11,986.20
Robert CristDistrict Administrator$152,256.00$28,065.00
Trudy DesimonsDirector of Special Education and/or Pupil Services$111,899.00$41,278.00
Sharon ToellnerDirector of Instruction/Program Supervisor$111,899.00$38,588.00
Bryon KolbeckDistrict Instructional Technology Coordinator$94,784.00$35,055.00
Kay MarksCentral Office Administrator$111,899.00$36,249.00
Daniel WeigandBusiness Manager$111,899.00$38,328.00
Paul MannPrincipal$106,133.00$35,997.00

[edit] Budget

  • Note: Budget information for Wisconsin Rapids is not disclosed on its website.

For fiscal year 2008-2009, $7.98 was levied in property tax for every $1,000 of equalized property value, which is the same rate as fiscal year 2007-2008.[16]

For fiscal year 2010-2011, officials expect the mill rate to rise to $9.36 per $1,000 of equalized property value. The district nevertheless predicts a record budget shortfall.[17]

[edit] Academic performance

  • Note: Academic performance information for Wisconsin Rapids is not disclosed on its website.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction provides a SDPR (School District Performance Report) for each district, which tracks achievement test results (grades 3, 4, 8 and 10), ACT and AP exam scores, retention rates, attendance, dropouts and truancy, among other measures.[18]

The below chart shows the number of students in Wisconsin Rapids who scored advanced or proficient in each subject for 2009-2010, with the statewide figure in parentheses:[19]

Grade Reading Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
3rd grade 83.8% (79.2%) - - - -
4th grade 85.6% (81.4%) 81.3% (77.3%) 87.3% (80.5%) 83.6% (77.0%) 96.3% (92.5%)
8th grade 87.6% (84.0%) 69.7% (64.5%) 78.07% (78.0%) 83.2% (80.0%) 83.7% (80.8%)
10th grade 77.0% (76.3%) 71.9% (68.3%) 8.1% (69.8%) 80.7% (71.6%) 79.1% (74.7%)

The below chart shows ACT and Advanced Placement test results for 2008-2009:[20]

Test Number of Students Tested Percentage of Students Tested Composite Score (ACT) Pass Percentage (AP)
ACT 274 50.9% 22.4 -
AP 139 7.2% - 65.7%

[edit] Teachers union

The primary teachers union in Wisconsin, is the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), which is a member of the National Education Association. WEAC has listed school funding reform, health care reform, professional development and Licensure, closing achievement gaps as its legislative priorities for 2011-2012.

The union advocates that schools need to gather more funding from the state instead of local resources and drive the new funding towards programs that help special needs, low-income, and english learners. WEAC would also like to see a financial assistance program developed for technical colleges.[21]

For health care reform, the union has stated its support of government sponsored health care for every Wisconsin resident.[22]

WEAC would like to see full funding for the new teacher licensure system, also known as PI 34, describing the current $1.3 million in reimbursements as "inadequate."[23]

In order to close achievement gaps, WEAC is also advocating increasing the cost-per-pupil for SAGE, which helps fund the 15:1 teacher student radio, funding from $2,250 to $2,500.[24]

[edit] Health care

RUSD budgeted roughly $52 million for health care in 2010-2011, but to save money in anticipation of budget cuts, it approved a raise in deductibles that began July 1, 2011. Before the high-deductible insurance took effect, insurance usage jumped by $2 million as employees used their low-deductible plan before it changed.[25]

The change in health insurance plans is costing the district $3.4 million a month which means it is projected to spend less than the allotted $42 million a year on healthcare.[26]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker has proposed a bill which would have school districts optionally join the state employees’ health insurance plan.[27] Walker says the bill would save $68 million a year for Wisconsin school districts, and $224 million for local governments.[27] WEAC is against the bill and said that it would fight its implementation.[27]

[edit] Public Employee Union Protests

Protests erupted over a bill that would require state employees to contribute an average of 8% more to their pension and health care costs and the right to collective bargaining.[28] Gov. Walker said that asking employees to pay half the national average for health care "is truly a modest request."[29] Walker also denied that his proposal is trying to break the unions.[29][30]

Up to 40,000 thousands of union protesters filled the state capitol in a protest that lasted for nine days.[31][32] After four days of pro-union protests, the Tea Party staged a rally in support of the legislation.[33]

To avoid a vote on the measure, 14 Senate Democrats disappeared and could not be found.[34] They reportedly went to a hotel in Illinois.[28] Republicans control the State Senate by 19 to 14, but to have a vote on fiscal matters, 20 senators must be present.[34] The Senate Democrats, however, threatened to stay away for weeks.[35] The Senate scheduled votes on other bills of interest to Democrats, hoping that they would return to vote on them.[36]

The Assembly passed the bill just after midnight on Feb. 25, 2011.[37] Assembly Democrats, however, tried to stall the proposal by offering more than a hundred amendments.[38] Lawmakers extended debate for 43 hours.[39] On Feb. 24, 2011, the Assembly reached a deal to limit amendments and debates and appeared to be close to voting on the bill.[31] State troopers were then sent to the homes of the 14 missing Democrats, but they were not found. Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach said all 14 senators remained outside of Wisconsin and would not return until Walker was willing to compromise.[31]

If the bill is not passed and signed into law before Feb. 26, 2011, a key part of the proposal is lost because a refinancing of state debt that would free up $165 million will be lost if not complete by then. Should that refinancing fall through, more cuts will be needed to balance the budget.[36] A payment on state debt is due by March 15.[37]

Union Benefit Cuts

State employees are unhappy with the governor's proposal that they contribute 5.8% of their salary toward their pensions, and also pay 12.6% of their health insurance premiums.[32] The move is anticipated to save nearly $300 million over the following two fiscal years.[40]

Collective Bargaining

The governor's proposed budget also eliminates almost all union bargaining rights.[40]

The proposal would take away most state and local workers of collective bargaining rights on everything except salary.[41] Unions would be unable to seek pay increases above those pegged to the Consumer Price Index unless approved by a public referendum.[28] In addition, unions also would have to hold annual votes to stay organized and would be unable to force employees to pay dues.[28]

Republican lawmakers said collective bargaining rules must be changed so governments can avoid laying off thousands of workers.[42] Gov. Scott Walker has said that he will have to lay off up to 6,000 state workers if the measure does not pass.[28]

Employees who would retain their collective bargaining rights are local police, firefighters and state troopers.[28]

In the case of a walkout, Walker has put the National Guard on alert.[43]

School Closures

More than 15 school districts, including the Madison schools were closed for four days due to teachers and staff calling in sick.[44][45] Judge Maryann Sumi of the Dane County District Court denied the Madison school district requests for an injunction against Madison Teachers Inc. so that schools could reopen.[44]

[edit] School choice

[edit] Open Enrollment

"Wisconsin's inter-district public school open enrollment program allows parents to apply for their children to attend school districts other than the one in which they reside."[46] All students may apply to attend a different school district outside of their resident area. While they can request to attend a specific school, assignment to that school is not guaranteed even if their application is accepted, as the students apply to the school district, and not individual schools.[47]

Students may also apply to attend virtual charter schools through open enrollment by applying to the non-resident district in which the virtual charter operates. However, Wisconsin state law "limits the number of students that may attend virtual charter schools under the open enrollment program." Students may be placed on a waiting list for virtual charter schools.[47]

[edit] Open records lawsuit

Don Bubolz of Vesper made a public records request for e-mails sent by five district employees (Karen Schill, Traci Pronga, Kimberly Martin, Robert Dresser and Mark Larson) between March 1 and April 13 of 2007. The employees released their work related e-mails from the requested time period, but filed a lawsuit to keep from having to disclose the non-work related e-mails they had sent in that same time frame. Superintendent Bob Crist had intended to release all of the requested e-mails, but was stymied by the lawsuit. The case was dismissed, and a judge ordered that the e-mails be made public. The employees appealed the decision, and the Court of Appeals asked the Supreme Court to take the case due to its significance. On Monday, June 22, 2009, the Wisconsin Supreme Court announced that it would consider the case. [48] [49] [50]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ↑ District Info
  2. ↑ Tax Levy
  3. ↑ Municipality, Expenditures
  4. ↑ School Board
  5. ↑ Agendas/Meetings/Minutes
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Meet the School Board
  7. ↑ Staff Directory
  8. ↑ Access to Public Records
  9. ↑ School Performance Report
  10. ↑ Crime Information Records Check, Fingerprinting Process/Procedures
  11. ↑ Wisconsin Constitution,"Article 10, Section 1," retrieved July 9, 2009
  12. ↑ Wisconsin Constitution,"Article 1, Section 3," retrieved July 13, 2009
  13. ↑ WASB, Employment and Labor Law services
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, 2009-2010 Legislative Agenda
  15. ↑ Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Statistical Information Center - School Staff and Salary Data
  16. ↑ Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction, School Finance Data Warehouse, School District Profiles
  17. ↑ Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, Wisconsin Rapids School District leaders fear record deficit, October 6, 2010.
  18. ↑ Wisconsin District and School Performance Reports
  19. ↑ 2009-2010 Wisconsin School District Performance Report
  20. ↑ 2008-2009 Wisconsin School District Performance Report
  21. ↑ WEAC, School Funding Reform
  22. ↑ WEAC, Health Care Reform
  23. ↑ WEAC, Professional Development & Licensure
  24. ↑ WEAC, Closing Achievement Gaps
  25. ↑ "Mount Pleasant Patch", Racine Unified Experiences $2 Million Spike in Insurance Usage, July 6, 2011
  26. ↑ "Caledonia Patch", Racine Unified Budget Options: Redistricting, Closing Schools to Close Gap, January 18, 2012
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 WTAQ News, WEAC: We'll Fight Walker Health Insurance Proposal, Aug. 31, 2010
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 MSNBC.com "Wis. union vote on hold after Democrats leave state" Feb. 17, 2011
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 CBSNews.com "Wis. gov: I took "bold political move" on budget" Feb. 18, 2011
  30. ↑ Wall Street Journal, Union Fight Heats Up, Feb. 18, 2011
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 MSNBC.com "Wis. stalemate: Deal struck, cops sent to Dem homes" Feb. 24, 2011
  32. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named protest
  33. ↑ MSNBC.com "Tea Party to rally for Wisconsin anti-union bill" Feb. 18, 2011
  34. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named missing
  35. ↑ Yahoo! News "Wisconsin Democrats could stay away for weeks" Feb. 18, 2011
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Both sides in Wisconsin budget battle dig in deeper " Feb. 23, 2011
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Reuters "Wisconsin Assembly approves plan to curb unions" Feb. 25, 2011
  38. ↑ Reuters "In Wisconsin, a jarring new note in discordant debate" Feb. 23, 2011
  39. ↑ []
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "Budget bill draws a crowd" Feb. 15, 2011
  41. ↑ The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Wis. state workers and allies descend on Madison to protest halt to collective bargaining" Feb. 15, 2011
  42. ↑ Reuters "Thousand of Wisconsin union workers protest budget plan" Feb. 15, 2011
  43. ↑ The Chicago Tribune "Walker says National Guard is prepared" Feb. 11, 2011
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 WKOW.com "MMSD denied temporary restraining order" Feb. 18, 2011
  45. ↑ WFRV.com "Madison schools remain closed, Fourth day in a row" Feb. 21, 2011
  46. ↑ Public School Open Enrollment
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Open Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions
  48. ↑ Channel 3000 "State Supreme Court To Decide Public Records Case" June 23, 2009
  49. ↑ WEAU 13 "WI Court Asked to Rule on Release of E-Mails" April 30, 2009
  50. ↑ Wausau Daily Herald "High court could hear teacher e-mail case" May 4, 2009


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