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WiRSA Update - April 9, 2024
Announcements
Highlighting the WiRSA Support Staff Member of the Year Nomination!
The (WiRSA) Board of Directors established this award to recognize a support staff person who has made significant contributions to his/her rural school district.
This award is for a support staff person in a WiRSA member school district who has demonstrated contributions in one or more of the following areas:
Provides outstanding service that supports students, staff, parents, and/or facilities.
Fosters cooperative relationships with colleagues, parents, and the community.
Understands and assists with the individual needs of their constituents.
Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of skills and expertise required to effectively perform their job duties.
Award winners will be selected by the WiRSA Board of Directors Executive Committee. The deadline is September 1, 2024
Nominations for our WiRSA rural school awards!
This is a great opportunity to recognize the outstanding staff, community members, and organizations that do so much to support our schools.
Website Link
(10) WiRSA high school students received scholarships in 2024!
Highlighting two general senior scholarship recipients!
Congratulations!
Yariza Luna
Arcadia High School
Josie Meister
Darlington High School
WiRSA Conference Registration 2024
Rural Schools and Communities! Resilient Rural!
Monday, October 28 & Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - Welcome Reception - October 27, 2023 - 7:00 p.m.
Click Here for -
Information and Registration
(Click Here to Register)
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WiRSA Conference Breakout Proposals, Vendor & Sponsor Information, & Live Auction Donation Link
WiRSA Conference - Call for Proposals
WiRSA Conference - Vendor Registration and Information
WiRSA Conference - Silent & Live Auction Donations (Google Form Donation Link)
We will once again have a silent and live auction to support our WiRSA high school senior students and student-teacher scholarships. Responses can be adjusted if needed. Keep your URL link saved after you submit an auction item.
Highlights / Opportunity
Highlighting (Increasing Broadband) Resources
CISA’s (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency)
Check out all the FREE services and resources offered through CISA’s (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) Support in Wisconsin!
The Link to CISA’s Free Services is on our WiRSA Website
Legislative Update
Gov. Evers Press Releases
Gov. Evers Signs Bipartisan “Prince Act” to Expand AMBER Alert System for Missing Kids
Gov. Evers, WHEDA Announce Workforce and Senior Housing Infrastructure Funding Program
The Infrastructure Access Loan program provides loan funding to cover the costs of installing, replacing, upgrading, or improving public infrastructure related to workforce housing or senior housing. These costs are typically covered by the developer. Borrowers can apply for up to 20 percent of the total development cost of residential housing and related infrastructure at a low-interest rate of three percent, or one percent in municipalities with a population of fewer than 10,000 or for senior housing.
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WASB Blog News:
Legislative Maps - 2024 & 2022 (Interactive)
Bill Information
ACT 128 / SB 773 - Relating to: authorized activities and operations of credit unions; the lending area of savings and loan associations; automated teller machines; residential mortgage loans and variable rate loans; payments for public deposit losses in failed financial institutions; promissory notes of certain public bodies; repealing rules promulgated by the Department of Financial Institutions; providing an exemption from rule-making procedures; and providing a penalty.
BAIRD - Overview of Wisconsin School Referendum Results
School districts, communities, take stock of April referendum results
Fifty-six of 93 referendum requests passed — about a 60% passage rate — according to preliminary results.
Evers vetoes bill that would have eliminated work permits for younger teens
News Articles
WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM
Eyes on the Road
Assessing the quality of Wisconsin’s local roadsSchool Referenda Passage Rates Remain Low
Number of referenda passed since the beginning of 2014 (interactive)
Makeup of school district referendum question by type (2000-2024)
WISCONSIN EXAMINER
School districts, communities, take stock of April referendum results
Fifty-six of 93 referendum requests passed — about a 60% passage rate — according to preliminary results.
March jobs report shows strong labor market with job gains in health care and government
OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY /WSCCA
OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY SAFETY RESOURCES TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES VIRTUAL LEARNING
Update From NREA (National Rural Education Association) From the NREA Weekly Update
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K-12 Work-Based Learning Opportunities:
A 50-State Scan of 2023 Legislative Action
High-quality, robust work-based learning programs can help ease the postsecondary transition and prepare students for the workforce. States must continue to expand programming and increase accessibility to these opportunities.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report titled, K-12 Work-Based Learning Opportunities: A 50-State Scan of 2023 Legislative Action.
The report analyzes state legislation passed in 2023 related to work-based learning in K-12 schools and offers recommendations for policymakers to expand and improve work-based learning programs to prepare students for postsecondary opportunities.
Recently American250 launched America’s Field Trip, which is a nationwide scholastic competition inviting students to express their thoughts on what America means to them through art, poems, essays, or videos. Notably, 75 students first-place awardees (25 elementary, 25 middle school, and 25 high school students) will be selected to participate in a complimentary 3-day behind-the-scenes field trip to some of our most treasured national monuments. Teachers involved in winning submissions will receive a $1,000 cash prize, while 75 runner-up students will receive a $500 cash prize. The deadline to submit is May 17th.
Update From CEF (Center for Education Funding)
I. Policy Intelligence and Education News
New Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee chairs – This week, House Republicans are planning to elect a new chair of the Appropriations Committee, with Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) the current odds-on favorite (he is the only declared candidate so far, but House Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee chair Tom Aderholt (R-AL) has also expressed interest in the seat. The steering committee is expected to vote tomorrow, when the House is back in session after a two-week recess, and then the full Republican conference would likely ratify the selection on Wednesday. If Cole wins, that will set up an internal Republican election to replace him as chair of the House Rules Committee. In addition, there are expected to be some changes in House Appropriations Subcommittee chairs if Cole gives up chairing the Transportation-HUD Subcommittee, with Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) the expected new chair. There will also be changes among the “cardinals” (the Appropriations Subcommittee chairs) for the Senate, where Patty Murray (D-WA) will turn over the Energy and Water Subcommittee to someone else this year; she took over as chair after the death of Senator Feinstein last year. If another cardinal takes that position, there would be a ripple effect of changes in the Senate subcommittees, too.
Upcoming education-related hearings on Wednesday –
Education Secretary Cardona testifying on FY 2025 budget on Wednesday, April 10, at 10am ET, the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee is holding its fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget hearing with Education Secretary Cardona. My guess is there will be as many FAFSA-related questions as budget-related ones.
“FAFSA Fail: Examining the Impact on Students, Families, and Schools” on April 10 at 10:15am ET in the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. No witnesses yet announced.
“The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce” on April 10 at 2:30pm ET in the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
ED proposes new student debt relief – Today the Department of Education announced new proposals for additional relief of federal student debt for millions of borrowers (ED’s press release has specifics, along with state tables showing the 4 million borrowers already approved for debt cancellation under Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Drive Repayment, Saving On A Valuable Education (SAVE), and Total and Permanent Disability). The newly proposed plans will be open for public comment. The plans provide debt relief by:
Waiving accrued and capitalized interest for millions of borrowers
Automatically discharging debt for borrowers not enrolled but eligible for loan forgiveness under SAVE, closed school discharge, or other forgiveness programs
Eliminating student debt for borrowers in repayment for at least 20 years
Helping borrowers who enrolled in low-financial-value programs or institutions
Assisting borrowers experiencing hardship paying back their loans
Thank You!
WiRSA 2023
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