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Aid to High Poverty Districts

Overview

Statute Reference

Chapter 121.136

Funding

$16,830,000 in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Eligibility

A school district is eligible for aid if at least 50 percent (after rounding to the nearest whole percentage point) of the district's student enrollment on the third Friday in September in the immediately preceding even-numbered year were reported in WISEdata as economically disadvantaged. School districts automatically receive this aid; no claim is necessary.

Aid Computation

Aid entitlement is calculated by dividing the total appropriation amount by the prior year aid membership of all eligible school districts to determine the per-pupil amount. The aid computation uses a calculated membership based on student (pupil) counts from WISEdata and general aid student membership (collected via the PI-1563 Membership Reports). This per pupil amount is then multiplied by each district's prior year aid membership to determine the payment amount.

Special Note

High Poverty Aid payments are not treated as an exemption to a district’s revenue limit under Wis. Stats. 121.91. Rather, High Poverty Aid is required to reduce a district's maximum allowable levy, and in the case of Milwaukee, offset the General Aid reduction attributable to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (private school vouchers). Additionally, due to the inclusion of the High Poverty Aid program in Subchapter II – General Aid of Wis. Stats. 121, these payments will be treated as general aid payments for purposes of calculating a district’s shared costs in the computation of Equalization Aid.

Payment Details

Fourth Monday in March

WUFAR Coding

High Poverty Aid revenues are coded to Fund 10, Source 628.