School Administrators Alliance

The School Administrators Alliance (SAA) is an alliance of:

• The Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA)
• Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO)
• Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA)
• Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS)
• Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators (WASPA)

SAA's History

The SAA was founded in 1991 when the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA) and the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA) joined their advocacy efforts. With the addition of the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials in 1992 and the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS) in 1994, the SAA has grown to represent virtually every licensed school administrator in the State of Wisconsin. This increasingly diverse membership provides a broad perspective and deep understanding of educational issues.

Wisconsin's PK-12 Pathway to World-Class Student Success

SAA Mission

To advocate on behalf of school administrators in their efforts to strengthen Wisconsin's national leadership in education so that our children receive a world class education.

Advocacy

The SAA's diverse membership is united by a commitment to continuously improve the quality of Wisconsin public education. The SAA will support legislation which focuses on the following basic principles:

• The education of our children must be state government's primary purpose. The state must adhere to its constitutional obligation to "provide by law for the establishment of district schools, which shall be nearly uniform as practicable," and "free and without charge for tuition to all children between the ages of 4 and 20 years."
• All children deserve to receive an education that meets their needs and abilities.
• There must be coordination among school programs and community-based programs to ensure that the whole child receives attention.
• Parents must be active participants in the education of their children, from birth to graduation.
• Standards must be established by which parents, communities, and government can determine the quality of education provided to our children and measure their performance.

The SAA legislative agenda, which is published annually, outlines legislative positions and the beliefs they are based on in the following areas:

• Educational Programs
• Finance and Facilities
• School Governance
• Support of Educational Leaders

Service

The SAA serves as a vehicle for members to collectively advance the policy deliberations of today's most important educational issues. For example, every year the SAA sponsors project teams consisting of volunteers from around the state who are interested, have expertise and are willing to work intensively to analyze issues that impact upon the children educated in Wisconsin. Through their work these teams serve our members and the public alike.

If you would like information on current project team proposals, please contact the SAA.

Dee Pettack
Director of Government Relations
School Administrators Alliance
4797 Hayes Road, Suite 201
Madison, WI 53704
Phone (608) 242-1370
Fax (608) 242-1290
www.wsaa.org

School Administrators Alliance Legislative Committee

Chair: John Stellmacher, Kettle Moraine 
Board Liaison: Jeff Mahoney, McFarland

Mission
To develop a legislative agenda and lobby activities to promote the welfare of students in Wisconsin schools by combining the resources of WASBO, WASDA, AWSA, WCASS, WASPA and WREA.

Video Resources

Wisconsin School Funding: Animated Video Explainer • March 2024

With so many districts facing fiscal challenges including going or considering going to referendum in the next year, we created a short, animated video for general audiences that we hope will effectively communicate the way schools in Wisconsin are funded and the challenges they face. WASBO helped develop this video resource in partnership with the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) and Captivate Media + Consulting.

This general video also is free for anyone to download and use to educate their stakeholders. For a relatively small cost, Captivate can also customize the video for districts to communicate district-specific information about their referendum or general fiscal situation.

Click this link to download the video and learn more about customizing the video for your district.

 

WASBO Video Explainer on School Finance and the 2023-25 State Budget • May 2023

May 2023 video explainer by WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman video on where we are now, what schools need and what the state can do. This video provides an overview of Wisconsin school finance and what the outcomes of the 2023-25 state budget could mean for school districts and their ability to serve their schools and students. Take just 30 minutes, and you will be able to better advocate for your school district. View handouts!

Presentations

• Money Talks Webinar - The State of School Finance in Wisconsin • January 26, 2024 • Webinar Recording & Presentation & Handouts
• 2024 Wisconsin State Education Convention
  • Follow the Money: Comparing publicly funded school options in Wisconsin
    •  Presentation by Anne Chapman at the 2024 Wisconsin State Education Convention on January 18, 2024.
  • The State of School Finance: Vital signs, Current Developments and Emerging Issues
    • Presentation by Anne Chapman at the 2024 Wisconsin State Education Convention on January 17, 2024.
• "To Levy or not to Levy: A WASBO & WASDA Live Webinar" and "School Levy Tax Credit: What You Need to Know!
  • On October 11, 2023, hosts SAA Executive Director Dee Pettack & WASDA Executive Director Jon Bales and presenters WASBO Executive Director Mike Barry & WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman reviewed key decisions school leaders will face on budget and tax levy, especially new issues that stem from the 2023-25 state budget in this live-recorded webinar. Then, on October 12, 2023, hosts WASBO Executive Director Mike Barry & WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman and presenters Andy Weiland (Oregon), Pete Grender (Verona), and Erik Kass (PMA Financial Network) led attendees through the school levy tax credit (SLTC) and what it means for school districts local taxpayers. View both webinar's resources here!
• WASBO Video Explainer on School Finance and the 2023-25 State Budget 
  • May 2023 video explainer by WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman video on where we are now, what schools need and what the state can do. This video provides an overview of Wisconsin school finance and what the outcomes of the 2023-25 state budget could mean for school districts and their ability to serve their schools and students. Take just 30 minutes, and you will be able to better advocate for your school district. View handouts!
• School Finance & the 2023-25 State Budget
  • Presentation by WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman on May 12, 2023 at WASBO's 2023 Spring Conference
• District Level Budget Outlook: Fiscal Cliff Ahead!
  • Presentation by Andy Weiland (Oregon), Brad Boll (Turner), John Stellmacher (Kettle Moraine), Lynn Knight (Nekoosa) & MIke Barry (WASBO) on January 19, 2023 at Wisconsin State Education Convention
• School Finance in Wisconsin: Where We Are Now, How We Got Here, What's Ahead
  • Presentation by WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman on January 18, 2023 at Wisconsin Education Convention

Articles

• August 2023 Taking Care of Business Article "Declining enrollment in Wisconsin public schools" by WASBO Research Director Anne Chapman & Sarah Kemp, of the University of Wisconsin – Madison
  •  Learn about the impacts of demographics and the pandemic
• August 2023 Taking Care of Business Article "To Levy or Not to Levy: Potential local impacts of expanded revenue limits" by Anne Chapman
  •  Learn where the 2023-25 state budget leaves schools, what the revenue limit increase means for your district, and key factors to consider when making budget and levy decisions.
• Midterms bring less uncertainty, but major school finance questions remain
  • Article by Anne Chapman in November 2022 edition of Taking Care of Business

Other

• Forward Analytics' timely new report: K-12 on the ballot: Using referenda to fund public schools - Message from Anne Chapman regarding the state budget on November 17, 2023
  • Earlier this week, Forward Analytics, a division of the Wisconsin Counties Association, released an analysis that tracks operating referendums to fund K-12 education in Wisconsin since the dawn of the revenue limit. The report is a quick read, jam-packed with historical analysis of both the revenue limit law itself and the emergence of the operating referendum as an annual ritual and indispensable component of school district finance in Wisconsin. It provides a crucial piece of the school finance puzzle. It explores the isolated impact of operating referendums on school district revenues, separate from the impact of revenues generated under school district revenue limits. View message on the ConNectwork!
• Lots of K-12 education activity in state budget proceedings today - Message from Anne Chapman on June 13, 2023. 
  • There's movement on bills addressing agreements made last week on surrounding increases in per pupil payments for choice, charter, and the low revenue ceiling. View message on the ConNectwork! 
• Progress on K-12 portion of state budget delayed; federal COVID relief for K-12 won't be affected by recent debt ceiling legislation -  Message from Anne Chapman on June 8, 2023
  • We are reaching out with a couple quick legislative updates. First, progress on the 2023-25 state budget and adoption of the K-12 portion has been delayed, especially compared to most past state budgets. Second, we wanted you to be aware that DPI has confirmed that federal COVID relief for K-12 education will not be affected by recent federal debt ceiling legislation.  View message on the ConNectwork!
• 2023-25 State Budget Advocacy Update - Message from Anne Chapman regarding the state budget on April 10, 2023
  • Thanks to all the business managers, superintendents, board members, and other public K-12 supporters who appeared or sent testimony last Tuesday (April 4) for the first of four Joint Finance Committee budget hearings. Special thanks to John Stellmacher, Jonathan Mitchell, and the Southeast WASBO Regional whose coordinated efforts delivered unified but personalized messages about what K-12 education needs across the region! View message on the ConNectwork!
• Learn more: Special Education Funding - Message from Anne Chapman on October 12, 2022
  • In support of WASBO’s advocacy mission "to advocate for funding that ensures outstanding educational opportunities for all children in Wisconsin", my chief role is to conduct and communicate data-driven nonpartisan research to educate our members and public education stakeholders. A key aim is to provide resources that help school districts tell their stories about the impact of school finance policy, whether their audience is school boards and legislators or parents and community members. You may be aware of a report on special education funding that I authored in my previous role at the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Yesterday, the national Education Law Center released a new report that builds meaningfully on that research. Its main findings are: View the entire message!

More on Anne Chapman

Prior to joining WASBO, Chapman served as senior researcher with the Wisconsin Policy Forum where she oversaw the Forum’s education research portfolio. Her research on K-12 education focused on state and local policy and finance, special education funding, English learners, arts education, and the educator workforce. Chapman holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, La Follette School of Public Affairs. She is a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management and Association for Education Finance and Policy.