A new report shows school spending has increased, despite declining enrollment statewide. The report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance shows district budgets increased for the 2004-2005 school year, rising an average of 4.6%. During that time, WISTAX research director Dale Knapp says statewide enrollment dropped about a tenth of a percent during. Not all districts say a drop in students though. Knapp says nearly 60 saw enrollment going up.
Knapp says most of those increases came from instructional support spending. Those areas include guidance counselors, library services, and social work.
More school spending often translates over to higher property taxes, but Knapp says most were protected. Additional state funding helped hold back increases and kept them flat in several areas.