MADISON, Wis. -- Republicans in the Wisconsin State Assembly introduced a bill package incentivizing school districts to consolidate, as districts across the state are overwhelmingly losing students and turning to referendums to fund basic operations.

The package includes six bills. One calls for a study of existing district boundaries and revenue limits, one incentivizes grade sharing between districts and one raises the consolidation payout per pupil by more than 1000%.

" We’re trying to provide some tools that districts can use that might help them," said Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, who co-authored several of the bills.

Nedweski emphasized that the incentives are voluntary for districts that choose to consolidate.

"Schools are the heart of our communities," she

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