Supplemental Aid for School Districts with a Large Area
Supplemental aid for school districts with a large area is an annual entitlement program authorized under s. 115.435, Wisconsin Statutes. It is a grant created to supplement aid under Wis. Stats. 121.08 to school districts that meet the following requirements:
- the school district had an enrollment in the previous school year of fewer than 500 pupils;
- the school district is at least 200 square miles in area; and
- at least 80 percent of the real property in the school district is exempt from taxation under s. 70.11, taxed as forest croplands under subchapter I of chapter 77, owned by or held in trust for a federally recognized American Indian tribe or owned by the federal government.
Who is Eligible to Apply
All public school districts that meet the statutory requirements are eligible.
Amount of Funds Available
DPI awards $350 for each pupil enrolled in an eligible school district that can verify through the clerks of municipalities in which the school district is located that it meets the criteria under 2 and 3 (DPI verifies that the school district is eligible under criteria 1). If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ad), Stats. is insufficient to pay the full amount, the funds are prorated among the entitled school districts. The Act appropriated $125,000 beginning in the 1999-2000 school year.
Application Due Date
Applications are due October 15 of the current school year.