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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has released details of his proposal for increased assistance to rural school districts. It includes increased financial assistance in the form of an increase in Sparsity Aid by $20 million. Sparsity Aid is for small rural districts that have less than 745 pupils and a population density of less than 10 pupils per square mile of district attendance.
Walker also wants to expand Sparsity Aid through creation of a new $100 per pupil tier of Sparsity Aid funding for districts with 746-1000 pupils.
The Republican governor also proposes increased transportation aid. His proposal would provide 100% reimbursement for rural districts in the High-Cost Transportation Aid program by investing $25.4 million over the two-year budget, for an increase of $10.4 million over the last budget
Walker is also calling for increasing investments in broadband access, opportunities to recruit and retain teachers and for districts to share services, and for technology education. The funding proposals will be included in the governor’s budget next week. He was scheduled to announce his plan during stops at three rural schools on Wednesday.