Page 48 - 2015 Compass Now

Figure 2: Public School Expenditures

$/Student 15,000
12,000
La Crosse Monroe Trempealeau Vernon Wisconsin Houston Minnesota
9,000
6,000 12,008 11,936 12,360 12,660 12,624 9,569 10,250
3,000
12,463 12,455 12,750 13,173 13,020 9,505 10,237
0
11,889 11,973 12,116 12,239 12,375 9,605 10,336
2010
2011 12,081 11,650 12,145 12,231 12,343 9,710 10,666
2012
2013

Sources: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: Comparative Cost per Member;
Minnesota Department of Education: Expenditures, District/State Level Report

In cooperation with the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials Accounting Committee, the
Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Financial Services Team has developed several revenue
benchmarks that can be used for informational and general analysis purposes. The Comparative Cost per
Member can differ from one district to another and from one year to another. There may be several reasons
for this variance – educational programming, pupil transportation requirements, increases or decreases in
debt service expenditures, or having food and community service operations. Figure 3 shows the average
cost each county spent per member during that same year. This calculation is based on district resident
pupil counts and does not reflect the actual number of pupils (resident and non-resident) in attendance in a
district.

EDUCATION Figure 3: Cost per Member

$/Member 15000 $12,632 $12,258 $11,676 $12,813
12000
$9,709
9000

6000

3000

0 Monroe Trempealeau Vernon Houston
La Crosse

2012-2013 Academic Year

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Minnesota Department of Education

In the Great Rivers Region, approximately 13.8% of students were in an Individualized Education Program
(IEP)5. Users of this program include students with autism, cognitive disabilities, emotional/behavioral
disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, significant
developmental delay, speech/language impairments, specific learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury,
visual impairments, and the need for special education5. Public school districts are required to offer special
education services for children ages 3-21. Expenses for services for students with severe and multiple
disabilities are challenges for local school budgets.

40 COMPASS NOW 2015