115.436 Sparsity aid.

(1) In this section, “membership" has the meaning given in s. 121.004 (5).

(2) A school district is eligible for sparsity aid under this section if it satisfies all of the following criteria:

(a) The school district's membership in the previous school year was no more than 745.

(c) The school district's membership in the previous school year divided by the school district's area in square miles is less than 10.

(3)

(a) Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ae) and subject to par. (b), the department shall pay to each school district eligible for sparsity aid $400 multiplied by the membership in the previous school year.

(am) Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ae), the department shall, subject to par. (b), pay to each school district that received aid under this section in the previous school year but does not satisfy the requirement under sub. (2) (a) in the current school year 50 percent of the amount received by the school district under par. (a) in the previous school year.

(ap) In the school year in which a school district consolidation takes effect under s. 117.08 or 117.09 and in each of the subsequent 4 school years, notwithstanding sub. (2), the department shall pay the consolidated school district sparsity aid in an amount that is not less than 50 percent of the aggregate amount of sparsity aid received by the consolidating school districts in the school year prior to the school year in which the consolidation takes effect. This paragraph does not apply to a school district created by a consolidation under s. 117.08 or 117.09 that takes effect before July 1, 2019.

(b) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ae) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount under pars. (a), (am), and (ap), the department shall prorate the payments among the school districts entitled to aid under this subsection.

History: 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2015 a. 55, 305; 2017 a. 59, 141.