As the state’s share of public education costs spirals downward, Mineral Point school district residents will contribute more money out of pocket. Following a 3.9 percent decrease in general state aid and rising costs, the district’s proposed 2014-15 budget would boost the amount of money collected from local taxpayers by nearly 3.3 percent to preserve existing services. This increase is the function of the revenue limit formula controlled by the state.
At the same time, the annual per-pupil increase in the revenue limit formula no longer is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is much lower than in past years. The current aid that the district has to operate schools in 2014-2015 can be compared to the amount of aid the district had in 2008-09, when the CPI drove funding. In 2008-09, the annual increase of $274.68 per pupil yielded $200,516 in additional revenue. This year’s increase is projected at $75, yielding $54,750 more in revenue. That’s an annual difference of $145,766.
In student achievement scores, Mineral Point ranks third out of the 30 schools in Southwestern WI.