SCHOOL FINANCIAL SERVICES TEAM – DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION –SCHOOL FINANCE BULLETIN #652, July 14, 2016
ESTIMATED SPECIAL ED CATEGORICAL AID RATE FOR 2016-17: As of July 12, 2016, we are estimating that 2016-17 payments of Special Education and School-Age Parents Aid will reimburse last year's eligible special education costs at a rate of 26.15%. This estimate is based upon an analysis of submitted 2015-16 budget data and is provided as a service to districts and other LEAs as they develop their budgets for the upcoming year. Early payments (November through March) may use a slightly lower rate to avoid overpayments. The final rate will be determined in May for the June payment.
PRE-POPULATED BUDGET HEARING AND ADOPTION WORKBOOK AVAILABLE: Wisconsin state law sec. 65.90 sets forth the procedures in which common, union high, and unified school districts must follow in formulating a budget, holding a public hearing, and adopting a budget each year. A link to the statutes is at At this page you can select Chapter 65 or directly at
The budget must identify revenues, expenditures, and fund balances for the budgeted year in addition to the two fiscal years preceding the budgeted fiscal year. Budget detail is based upon the Wisconsin Uniform Financial Reporting Requirements (WUFAR) hierarchy of accounts.
To assist districts in the 2016-17 budget process, the SFS Team has pre-populated the 65.90 Budget Hearing and Adoption Excel document with final, audited 2014-15 Annual Report data on file at the Department. The district will need to enter 2015-16Unaudited and 2016-17Budgeted data into BOTH the "Budget Adoption Format" and "Initial Data" tabs. The workbook also contains information on budget hearing and adoption timelines.
The Pre-Populated Budget Hearing and Adoption Workbook and related information can be found at: Go to the “Additional Resources” section and under “Pre-Populated Budget Hearing and Adoption Workbooks” select the “2016-17 (2014-15 audited annual data as of July 11, 2016)” link for the Excel document. Or, directly at
Please contact a Finance Consultant if you have questions.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
[July 11: 2015-16Annual Reports (PI-1505 & PI-1505 AC) Open]
[July 11: PI-1547SS for 2016 Summer School Transportation Open]
[July 12: PI-1804Summer School 2016 ReportOpen]
[August 19: PI-1505 Census Report for 2015-16 Due]
[August 31: PI-1505 AC for 2015-16Due]
[September 9: Transfer of Service for Revenue Limit Due]
[September 9: Auditor submits PI-1506 AC Aid Certification for 2015-16]
[September 9: Auditorsubmits PI-1506FB Fund Balances for 2015-16]
[September 16: PI-1505 and PI-1505 SE Annual Reports for 2015-16Due]
[September 30: PI-1563 3rd Friday September and PI-1804 Summer 2016 Pupil Count Reports Due]
[September 30: PI-1547 SS Pupil Transportation Summer 2016 Due]
UPCOMING WASBO[] and WASDA [] WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES:
[WASBO's Custodial & Maintenance Conferences-- July 27 at Menasha High School, Menasha (
[WASBO's Certified School Risk Managers Designation Series – Register at September 20 is Fundamentals of Risk Management; September 21 is Handling School Risks; October 19 is Measuring School Risks; October 20 is Funding School Risks; November 9 is Administering School Risks]
SCHOOL FINANCE CONTACTS:
[Gene Fornecker, Auditor: 608-267-7882
[Brian Kahl, Auditor: 608-266-3862
[Kim Robinson-Richmond, Auditor:
[Victoria Chung, Accountant:
[Bruce Anderson, Consultant: 608-267-9707
[Carey Bradley, Consultant:
[Dan Bush, Consultant: 608-267-9212
[Karen Kucharz Robbe, Consultant:
[Debi Towns, Assistant Director:
[Bob Soldner, Director: 608-266-6968
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PREVIOUSSCHOOL FINANCE BULLETIN#651, July 6, 2016
2016-17 PRE-POPULATED REVENUE LIMIT WORKSHEETS: The pre-populated 2016-17 Revenue Limit worksheets have been updated to include the July 1 Estimate of 2016-17 General Aid on Line 12A.
Use the July 1 Estimate for planning purposes only, as districts are reminded that by law, the October 15 Aid Certification must be used in the 2016-17 Revenue Limit calculation when setting the Fall, 2016 levies.
The worksheets can be accessed directly at:
Please call a Finance consultant with questions.
2015-16 PI-1504 BUDGET REPORT:The Budget Report (PI-1504) report has been re-opened for districts wishing to make changes to their 2015-16 budget data. The online Budget Report can be found under “Financial Data Home” on each district’s home page within the SFS Reporting Portal on the team’s home web page locatedat
2015-16 PI-1563 MEMBERHIP REPORT: Districts that need to make changes to their 2015-16 pupil count data should contact Debi Towns, at , to request that the report be opened to make changes.
SUMMER SCHOOL 2016 (STARTS THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR) -- PI-1804 SUMMERAND INTERIM SESSION PUPIL COUNT: The PI-1804 report opens July 12, 2016. Summer and Interim Session student minutes are reported to the DPI usingthe SFS Team’s Reporting Portal. Go to your district’s home page within the SFS Reporting Portal and go to the “Non-Financial Data Home”.
The workbook has recently been revised to reflect law and Administrative Rule changes. Student fee revenue andcost are now reconciled on a per course basis using thisworkbook. The information collected is used for assistance when reporting the required information. Go to and select “PI-1804 Downloadable Excel Worksheet” or directly at The spreadsheet includes instructions, the PI-1804 form and the PI-1804 worksheet.
PI-1805 is the form needed for reporting the summer school participation of students officially enrolled in the Integration Transfer Program (ITP). The program is commonly referred to as the Chapter 220 program. Only districts in the Milwaukee area are eligible for this program. Go to and select “PI-1804 and PI-1805 Downloadable Excel Worksheet” or directly at This spreadsheet combines the PI-1804 (Summerand Interim Session Membership Reporting) and the PI-1805 (ITP Summary).
You are strongly encouraged to review your summer school fees and to verify related expenditures, on a course by course basis, before you submit the report. Additional summer school information and workbooks can be found at
ContactCarey Bradley at or 608-267-3752with questions about the reporting process.
FINAL INDIRECT COST RATES FOR 2016-17: Final indirect cost rates for fiscal year 2016-17 (based on audited 2014-15 costs) for School Districts, CESAs and CCDEBs have been posted on the Department’s website at .
Districts that submitted Form PI-1161, Indirect Cost Rate Adjustment, will be receiving an official letter which reflects their final rates after any necessary adjustments. All CESAs and CCDEBs have also been issued letters.
Contact Gene Fornecker at or 608-267-7882 with questions.
STATE TUITION CLAIMS OPEN: The 2016-17 (FY 2017) claim workbook for State Tuition based on 2015-16 (FY 2016) costs is now available at Districts enrolling pupils residing in certain eligible facilities may claim tuition reimbursement from DPI under this program. Claims are due October 3, 2016.
Contact Daniel Bush at or 608-267-9212 with questions about the program or claim process.