Posted: Dec. 8, 2009

Muskego — Even if the Muskego-Norway School District ran a pilot kindergarten program for 4-year-olds for only one year, it would bring in $1.15 million in state aid that the district doesn't have now, Scot Ecker, director of business services, told the School Board on Monday. But that is not to say that property taxes would be lower.

The board foresees expenses outrunning revenues with or without K4 in the next five years.

Offsets shortfalls

But the board is considering starting a K4 program that would reduce the revenue shortfalls and reduce the program cuts that would be needed to balance future budgets.

Another reason for considering K4 is that so many Wisconsin school districts offer it that school officials do not want Muskego-Norway to be at a competitive disadvantage. Eight years ago, 39 percent of Wisconsin school districts had K4. Today that has grown to 80 percent, Superintendent Joseph Schroeder said.

One of the district's goals is to be the school district of choice in the entire area.

Over the next five years, Ecker suggested that a total revenue shortfall of $3.5 million to $4 million might be reduced to $2.6 million to $3.2 million by having a K4 program. The ranges are related to whether budget cuts are relatively light or deep.

The board plans to decide at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Dec. 21 whether to go ahead with a one-year pilot program that would involve contracting with five private preschools.

Ecker said that even if the pilot is dropped after a single year, the district would have $1.15 million more in aid than if it had no K4 program. That $1.15 million would be acquired over a three-year period because the state averages enrollments over three years in calculating its school aid.

In figuring expenses verses revenues, the predicted $7 million revenue shortfall over three years could be reduced by $437,717 by having a K4, Ecker's calculations indicate.

More tax base, less aid

But there are other financial questions still waiting to be answered.

The school's cost-benefit analysis might be tossed out the window if economic development pushes state school aid down considerably, worried School Board member Rick Petfalski. When a community gets more tax base, its school aid goes down all things being equal. Then K4 could be an expense instead of a cash generator.

"I don't want to put in a program that we think will benefit taxpayers that, because of development, becomes a liability," Petfalski said.

Moorland Road corridor development is starting, with the GE Medical facility already open and a Walmart under construction along with the possible development of part of large gravel pit, he said.

Predictions of the likely effects of economic development will be available before the Dec. 21 meeting, Ecker said.

What about buses?

Another question is the cost of transportation for the program.

The staff will report back on whether the district has to transport children to K4 if they live closer than two miles away.

Transportation costs also are hard to predict without knowing which children would participate in the program and where they live, Schroeder said.

Ecker said a transportation estimate will be available for the Dec. 21 meeting.

Parents had a number of questions at two public input meetings, including questions about how quality instruction would be assured.

Alan Groth, director of student learning, said K4 teachers would be licensed teachers who would follow a curriculum approved by the district curriculum and instruction department. District administrators would supervise and evaluate education at each of the sites.

Five preschools have indicated they want to be in the K4 program and have been cleared as being good sites. The proposed K4 program cannot be run in district elementary schools because they are operating at capacity. The five preschools can handle the expected pilot program, but school officials want to expand the program, if it proves successful.

Schroeder was optimistic that additional sites could be found.

NEXT STEP

WHAT: The Muskego-Norway School Board may decide whether to start a kindergarten program for 4-year-olds at five private preschools.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21

WHERE: Muskego High School, S8750 Racine Ave.