Wis. Districts Chafe Under State's Revenue Limits

By Julie Blair

Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

First, the Sturgeon Bay school district slashed funds for building maintenance. Then it cut classroom aides and administrative assistants. This school year, it ended a popular middle school track program and laid off the choreographer of the high school's nationally recognized swing choir.

The changes in the 1,500-student district in Wisconsin's scenic Door County reflect $500,000 in cutbacks the district has endured over the past three years to remain in compliance with the state's controversial system of paying for schools.

"We're going to have a shortfall of $54,000 next year," said Robert Grimmer, the superintendent of schools in Sturgeon Bay, where this year's budget is $12.7 million. "By the 2003-04 school year, we're going to have a $370,000 shortfall," he predicted, unless the district finds...