The president of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) asked for a roughly $60 million increase in state funding at a legislative briefing Thursday to address resources, grants and general aid for students.
About 70% of the funding they are requesting would be distributed based on formula and 30% based on outcomes, and the colleges will use the money based on their unique needs, the system said.
Last year's budget totaled to $1.3 billion with 44% coming from state aid while 39% came from property taxes and the remainder 17% from tuition fees.
The technical colleges, made up of 16 schools with over 50 campuses, cover every corner of the state and serve 287,000 Wisconsinites every year. Their goal is to serve community needs by offering education and skills training to keep up with the current demands of the workplace.
“Wisconsin’s technical college system was the first of its kind in the nation,” said Diane Handrick, executive director of WTCS. “Individual communities petitioned to start a tech college in their district because they wanted to have a say and they wanted that community and economic tie to the area for their employment needs.”
How the requests are split up
The system’s general aid request is for $45 million, which would be split over the biennium with $20 million in the first year and $25 million the second year. This money would be used to help meet the demand of employers for different industries, bring more people into the system and support students, Megan Strichko, a policy advisor said.
For open educational resources, WTCS is requesting $3 million, which would be used to provide grants to colleges for materials in the public domain. Investment in this would reduce the cost of education as students are able to access resources, said policy advisor Brandon Trujillo.
The WTCS is requesting $10.8 million each year for Wisconsin Grants, a program that gives grants to undergraduate Wisconsinites enrolled in degree or certificate programs.
“Over 72% of the 58,000 students who applied, qualify for aid. Close to 50% of those qualify for the maximum grant award. That means they have zero dollars to put towards their academic career… That's why close to half of our students really need and rely on this assistance,” Trujillo said. “This is an investment in our students so that they can participate in our economy.”
For the first time in over 10 years, the system has a waitlist for grants of about 3,200 students recorded at the end of the fiscal year 2023-24. The system projects a 19% increase this year in eligibility for aid because of changes in the federal formula that regulate the financial needs of a student.
The WTCS office is requesting $700,000 per year as general funds for positions at the system’s office. This would additionally be used for technology and security used to maintain operations and improve outcomes. Notably, they are currently funded at the state level the same amount as 20 years ago, according to WTCS President Layla Merrifield.
Additionally, the system is asking for $5 million annually for preparing educators and students to work with artificial intelligence, Strichko said.
While the technical college system, along with public K-12 schools and the UW System, requested an increase in funding from the state, it is unclear if additional funding for all three will make the final cut. Gov. Tony Evers will release his budget proposal and give his budget address next month.
Clara Strecker is a copy chief for The Daily Cardinal. She also covers state news.
