Senate Bill 656 proposes amendments to the existing laws regarding state aid for consolidated school districts in Wisconsin. The bill renumbers and amends sections 117.08 (6) (a) and 117.09 (6) (a) of the statutes, creating new subsections that specifically address the aid structure for consolidations that take effect in the years 2026, 2027, or 2028. Under the current law, newly consolidated districts receive $150 per pupil for the first five years, followed by reduced amounts in the sixth and seventh years. The bill introduces a significant increase in the initial aid amount for the year of consolidation, raising it to $2,000 per pupil for those specific years, while maintaining the existing aid structure for the subsequent years.

The bill's new provisions ensure that for consolidations occurring in 2026, 2027, or 2028, the consolidated school districts will receive a more substantial financial boost in their first year post-consolidation, which is intended to support their transition and operational needs. The subsequent aid amounts for the following four years will remain unchanged at $150 per pupil, as outlined in the current law. This adjustment aims to provide immediate financial support to newly consolidated districts, thereby enhancing their capacity to serve students effectively during the critical early years of consolidation.