State Assembly finance chair John Nygren does not agree that the lack of a state budget stops public schools from filling their personnel vacancies as fall classes begin.
The Joint Finance Committee will consider K-12 school funding Monday for a budget that was scheduled to take effect July 1.
Committee Democrats say the Onalaska schools are starting the year with substitute teachers for their vacant posts, and other districts have delayed new hirings and equipment because they’re not sure how much funding they’ll get.
But Republican chair John Nygren notes that Governor Scott Walker proposed 649-million dollars in extra school spending for the next two years and Assembly and Senate leaders have proposed increases that are smaller with no cuts.
But Senate GOPÂ finance chair Alberta Darling agrees that schools are dealing with uncertainty, and lawmakers must get going on the budget, which she now expects will get final legislative approval in mid-September.