Sometimes in the course of understanding Illinois, it helps to look beyond its borders to ponder issues in other states.

Today we shift focus due north, where Wisconsin Republicans have introduced bills aimed at incentivizing school district consolidation . In addition to pushing for a statewide feasibility study, the legislative package includes $25,000 grants for districts to conduct their own research on sharing services or merging and per-pupil financial incentives, including one that increases payouts from $150 to $2,000 for the first five years of consolidated operations.

Whether these bills might become law is analysis best saved for someone more familiar with Madison than Springfield – Republicans control the Senate 18-15 and the Assembly 54-45; the governor is a Democrat – but

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