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WI AB6
WI AB6Requiring a school board to spend at least 70 percent of its operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures and annual pay increases for school administrators. (FE)
summary
Introduced
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
In Committee
02/21/2025
02/21/2025
Crossed Over
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
Passed
Dead
03/23/2026
03/23/2026
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires school boards to spend a minimum amount of operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures and limits annual compensation increases for school administrators. REQUIREMENT TO SPEND 70 PERCENT OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES ON DIRECT CLASSROOM COSTS The bill requires each school board to spend at least 70 percent of its operating expenditures in each school year on direct classroom expenditures. Under the bill, “direct classroom expenditures” are expenditures for salaries and benefits of teachers and teacher aides, instructional supplies, tuition, athletic programs, and cocurricular activities. Under the bill, if a school board fails to meet the 70 percent threshold in any school year, the school board must increase the amount spent on direct classroom expenditures by at least 2 percent in each succeeding school year until the 70 percent level is reached. In addition, in the school year following a school year in which a school board fails to meet the 70 percent threshold, the bill directs the Department of Public Instruction to reduce the school district’s state aid payments by the difference between what the school board spent on direct classroom expenditures and the minimum that it should have spent on direct classroom expenditures and prohibits the school board from levying additional property taxes to compensate for the reduction. Finally, if the total reduction in state aid and other state payments does not cover a school board’s excess expenditures, DPI must order the school board to reduce the property tax obligations of its taxpayers, including providing refunds to taxpayers who have already paid their annual taxes, by an amount that represents the amount of excess expenditures that have not been recovered through the state aid reductions. LIMITATION ON ANNUAL COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS The bill limits the amount a school board may increase the total compensation paid to a school district administrator, business manager, or school principal, or an assistant to any of those positions (collectively, school administrators), to the average annual percentage increase in total compensation that the school board provided to teachers in the school district. Under current law, the term of a school administrator contract is limited to no more than two years but may provide for additional one year extensions. The pay increase limitation created in the bill first applies to contracts entered into, renewed, or modified on the date the bill becomes law. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
AI Summary
This bill requires school boards to spend at least 70 percent of their operating expenditures on direct classroom expenses, which include teacher and teacher aide salaries and benefits, instructional supplies, tuition, athletic programs, and co-curricular activities. If a school board fails to meet this 70 percent threshold in a given school year, they must increase classroom spending by at least 2 percent in subsequent years until the target is reached. The bill also introduces significant financial penalties for non-compliance, including automatic reductions in state aid payments and potential mandated property tax refunds to local taxpayers. Additionally, the legislation limits annual compensation increases for school administrators (such as district administrators, business managers, and principals) to match the average percentage increase given to teachers in the school district. These provisions aim to ensure that a substantial portion of school district budgets directly support classroom instruction and prevent administrative compensation from growing disproportionately. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2026, with some provisions becoming active immediately after publication.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (7)
Scott Allen (R)*,
Elijah Behnke (R)*,
Benjamin Franklin (R)*,
David Steffen (R)*,
Robin Vos (R)*,
Chuck Wichgers (R)*,
Cory Tomczyk (R),
Last Action
Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (on 03/23/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab6 |
| Analysis - LC Amendment Memo | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/lcamendmentmemos/2025/REG/AB6.pdf |
| Assembly Amendment 1 | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB6-AA1.pdf |
| Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB6-ASA1.pdf |
| Fiscal Note - AB6: Fiscal Estimate From DPI | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab6/ab6_dpi.pdf |
| AB6 ROCP for Committee on Education | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/records/assembly/education/1900587.pdf |
| BillText | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB6.pdf |
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