Local schools see cut in general school aid

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has published state general school aids that school districts will receive during the current school year.

This release of certified financial figures is based on data from the previous school year, including student counts and year-end financial data. The information published includes certified general school aid amounts for each school district, as well as 2025-26 student enrollment numbers for independent charter schools and private schools participating in the Private School Choice Programs and the Special Needs Scholarship Program.

Certain enrollment numbers for these programs are used to determine the dollar amounts to be withheld from school districts’ aid payments to fund the programs as applicable. General school aids are the largest form of state support for PK-12 schools in Wisconsin. The DPI is required by state law to release the certified aid figures by Oct. 15 of each year. This certified data replaces preliminary aid estimates released in July.

The 2025-27 state biennial budget kept funding for general school aids for the 2025-26 school year flat at $5.58 billion. Statewide, a majority of general aid is equalization aid, which is distributed according to a formula designed to help Wisconsin communities provide public education despite local differences in property wealth. The formula incorporates school district expenditures, property values, and resident student counts.

The other, smaller elements of general school aids are integration aid and special adjustment aid. The latter, also known as “hold harmless” aid, prevents districts from receiving more than a 15 percent reduction in gross general aid from year to year and will rise to 88 districts for 2025-26. However, total aid for 68 districts decreased more than 15 percent year-to-year due to prior year aid adjustments. These adjustments typically stem from shifts in expenditures used to calculate prior year aid.

Aid varies widely by district based on the equalization formula. Of 421 districts, 111 or 26 percent, will receive more aid for 2025-26 than in 2024-25; 301 or 71 percent of districts will receive less.

Locally, school districts fall into the 71 percent, receiving less funding than last year. Weston will see the largest decrease at 10.85 or a cut of $190,941. The Kickapoo Area District will see a 10.61 percent decrease, or a cut of $346,597. The River Valley School District is facing a 5.17 percent decrease amounting to $313,403. The Riverdale School District is receiving a 3.01 percent decrease, or $171,074. The Richland School District cut is a 2.07 percent decrease, or $236,843. The district receiving the least cut in the area is the Ithaca School District at 1.72 percent, or $42,196.

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