The Republican-controlled State Senate passed the proposed 2019-21 state budget Wednesday (17-16), calling for $81 billion in spending over two years with education spending increases estimated at $229 per pupil. State law requires voucher amounts to increase by the same $229 per pupil amount, so that would set voucher amounts at $7,983 for K-8; $8,629 for high schoolers and $12,660 for Special Needs Scholarship students.
The Republican-controlled Assembly passed the proposed budget Tuesday (60-39).
The budget now goes to Democrat Governor Tony Evers, who has one of the most powerful veto pens in the country. He has six business days to act on the budget.
The current budget year ends Sunday, June 30. If the new budget is not done by then, spending continues at current levels until a new budget is approved.
Therefore, schools in the state’s Choice programs should continue to plan their school budgets based on 2018-19 voucher amounts until the state’s 2019-21 budget is approved.
