MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Rural school advocates praised Gov. Scott Walker's plan released Wednesday to spend more money on the least-populated districts in the state, but they are also looking for more.
The biggest priority for public schools this year, including those in rural areas, is an overall aid increase and lifting of revenue limits to allow the money to be spent in the classroom, rather than diverted to property tax cuts.
Walker on Wednesday reiterated his promise to significantly increase K-12 funding in his budget next week. He provided no details.
But his rural schools plan, released at schools in Wauzeka, Hilbert and Crandon, generally won praise.
"I think it's a step in the right direction," said Kim Kaukl, executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, which represents about 144 schools.
Walker's plan calls for expanding and increasing a program that funnels money to the state's lowest enrollment districts and putting more money toward the high cost of transporting students long distances. It also takes steps to stem teacher shortages and increase access to high-speed internet.
Walker said the proposal was fashioned to address "unique challenges" faced by students in rural districts.
"Providing additional money for schools is a welcome change from previous budgets," said Dan Rossmiller, lobbyist for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.
State Superintendent Tony Evers also applauded the proposal, but he renewed his call for the Legislature to consider his plan to equalize funding differences between rural and urban schools. He said that's the only way to stem the tide of teachers leaving rural schools for higher salaries in more urban areas.
Walker's plan addresses the needs of rural schools, said John Forester, director of the School Administrators Alliance that represents about 3,000 principals, superintendents and other administrators.
"It's good stuff," he said. "He's definitely giving rural schools some of what they need."
However, Forester and Kaukl said the top priority remains the need for a $200 per-student spending increase.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling reacted to his rural schools plan by saying Walker needs to restore $1 billion in state aid cut since 2011. She did not comment on the specifics of his proposal.
Republican Rep. John Nygren, co-chair of the Legislature's budget-writing committee, said he was "hopeful" that Walker would be including even more investments for public schools in his budget.
Walker's rural schools plan would:
-- Increase sparsity aid by $20 million. That aid goes to districts with fewer than 745 students and a population density of less than 10 students per square mile. Walker said his budget will spend $12.3 million more on sparsity aid than was requested by the state Department of Public Instruction.
-- Create a new $100-per-student tier of sparsity aid for districts with between 746 and 1,000 students.
-- Provide 100 percent reimbursement, with a $10.4 million funding increase, for transportation costs for schools with fewer than 50 students per square mile and transportation costs that are 150 percent of the state average. Last year, the reimbursement rate was about 60 percent.
-- Increase by $22.5 million the money available through Technology for Educational Achievement grants. The grants can currently be used to pay for training for teachers to use educational technology. Walker is also proposing allowing districts to apply for the grants to pay for making internet hot spots available on buses and for students to take home. The hot spots would allow students to get online to complete their homework when not at school.
-- Increase grants for broadband internet expansion by $13 million.
-- Require the University of Wisconsin's flex option program to create a program to train teacher's aides and other paraprofessionals already working in schools to become full-time teachers. This proposal is designed to help rural schools struggling with teacher shortages. The flex option program allows students to earn college credits by demonstrating real-life knowledge through online tests.
