On Saturday, June 13th, the Assembly passed their version of the Wisconsin state budget with a vote of 50-48. The Assembly budget makes two important early education funding changes to the Joint Finance Committee’s recommended budget. First, the Assembly version provides $500,000 in 2009-2010 to the Department of Public Instruction to be used to start a 4K program in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Second, it allocates $128,500 per year ($257,000 total) to launch a 2-year pilot project in a Racine County child care program. During the pilot study, child care providers with at least an associate degree at the participating facility would receive salary supplements (salaries would be raised to equal at least $12.50 per hour).

The Senate is currently working on their own version of the budget, which is looking to be much different from the Assembly version. Once a Senate budget recommendation is passed, a conference committee will work with both versions to iron out any differences.