At a recently held town hall forum, our community learned about how funding for our public schools works
Anne Chapman was one of the speakers for the event informing us about the costs for school funding and vouchers as currently used by the State of Wisconsin.
Enjoy these slides from Anne Chapman's presentation.
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We are deeply disappointed to report that the budget signed into law around 1 am this morning fails once again to meet the needs of our children and their public schools.
Ultimately, Wisconsin kids and their public schools were the big losers in the budget compromise reached by Republicans, Gov. Evers, and enough Democrats to get the bill across the finish line.
Despite remarkable advocacy efforts and an unprecedented alignment of the education community to demand increases to revenue limits, spendable aid, special education funding, and meeting priority needs, the budget "compromise" was driven largely by petty politics and partisanship.
It wasn't because you didn't fight hard enough. We are told that collectively we changed hearts and minds - and votes - and we know we moved the dial on special education. That increase would not have been possible without our relentless advocacy and coalition-building over many years. We were literally laughed at when we first said we weren't going to back down on funding fairness in this category. The sum-certain 42% in year one and 45% reimbursement in year two might be less than half of the sum-sufficient 90% we asked for, but it's still the highest reimbursement rate we've seen in three decades and puts us a big step closer to ending funding discrimination for students with disabilities.
Huge thanks and congratulations to all who took budget action this year: those who signed onto letters, testified, called, sent emails, attended listening sessions, visited lawmakers, talked to their friends & neighbors, and to the remarkable grassroots organizing efforts of disability advocates on the "Learn in My Shoes" team and the child care advocates at W.E.C.A.N. We're especially grateful to our friends at Citizen Action, Wisdom, and WEAC for joining us to set a high bar for making our shared needs, expectations and values clear throughout this budget process. Together we made an impact that helped make a bad budget better. This is a win worth celebrating even as we share our frustration over the final deal.
In the final hour, though, politics won out over people.
Republicans, still angry over the governor's "400 year veto" in the last budget cycle, callously rejected the urgent and well-documented needs of our kids; Gov. Evers - and enough Democrats to get the bill over the finish line - sacrificed public schools and other budget needs for other priorities in a race to beat the federal budget to the deadline.
The budget sends public school students back to school this fall *AND NEXT FALL* with $0 in new state general aid. This is perhaps unprecedented. Even the deep cuts of the Walker administration in 2011 provided a slight bump in year two (-8.1% and 1.4%). This shocking move seems purely out of spite over the 400-year veto; we are told that Republicans "wouldn't budge" on this. We are deeply disappointed that a refusal to provide spendable general aid wasn't a deal-breaker in these negotiations.
The much-needed increase to the special education reimbursement and mental health supports are significant and welcome, but remain woefully inadequate to meet districts' needs, and are no substitute for adequate, predictable, and spendable state aid.
Withholding state aid at a time of urgent need, with deep federal cuts looming, is a guarantee that local communities will have to close the gaps with higher property taxes. And where they can't, kids will pay the price. Either way, the gaps get wider and the state fails to meet its constitutional obligation to fund public schools that are "as uniform as practicable."
66% of districts will see a cut to state aid in 2025-2026; most of those who fare better will not even receive an inflationary increase.
And while public schools will receive no new general aid, the budget contained a provision that private school students in voucher and independent charter schools are guaranteed an annual increase, even though the Wisconsin Constitution only requires the state legislature to fund public schools.
So we are braced for another round of record numbers of referenda, belt-tightening, school closures, and being forced to do more with less. But we are ready for it. We are here to help your referenda teams, amplify your local action, and provide whatever support we can to get organized, focused and connected to support our kids through the next two years.
And we are resolved to fight harder, speak up louder, and keep fighting to hold the state accountable to meet its constitutional obligation to every single kid in every single public school. Even if it doesn't feel like it in this moment, we made significant gains in this budget cycle and we will continue to do whatever we can to support and inspire local action with statewide impact to demand and deliver the thriving public schools Wisconsin kids deserve.
JOIN US. If you are frustrated and ready to do something about it, come to our Summer Summit in Green Bay July 23-24 to find out how YOU can be part of the critical movement to support Wisconsin students and their public schools. We will debrief the budget, learn from experts, and lean deep in action-focused sessions that help us connect and plan forward. We need you there: WisconsinNetwork.org/Summit
Until then, please joining us in reminding anyone taking a victory lap in this moment that Wisconsin kids lose every time we pass a budget that fails to meet their needs. A commitment to widening our gaps is nothing to celebrate.
Final budget votes in the Senate and Assembly: (see complete listing below)
Senate: 19/14
Assembly: 59/39
Democratic YES votes:
Senate: Dassler-Alfheim, Hesselbein, Pfaff, Smith, Wall
Assembly: Billings, Doyle, Emerson, Johnson, McCarville, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri
Republican NO votes:
Senate: Felzkowski, Hutton, Kapenga, Nass
Assembly: Allen
Budget votes fell on party lines, except where indicated here by red and blue dots to signify breaks from party votes.
In gratitude for your passionate advocacy for Wisconsin students and their public schools,
- Team Public
SUPPORT LOCAL ACTION WITH STATEWIDE IMPACTYour contribution sustains our organizing efforts statewide and ensures every student in every public school has equal opportunity to shine and succeed. Support our work today and be the reason Wisconsin kids thrive!PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
LOCAL LEVEL ACTION. STATEWIDE IMPACT.
Wisconsin Public Education Network is a project of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization. To support our work, donate here!
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
1502 W Broadway
Suite 102
Madison, WI 53713
United States
Ultimately, Wisconsin kids and their public schools were the big losers in the budget compromise reached by Republicans, Gov. Evers, and enough Democrats to get the bill across the finish line.
Despite remarkable advocacy efforts and an unprecedented alignment of the education community to demand increases to revenue limits, spendable aid, special education funding, and meeting priority needs, the budget "compromise" was driven largely by petty politics and partisanship.
It wasn't because you didn't fight hard enough. We are told that collectively we changed hearts and minds - and votes - and we know we moved the dial on special education. That increase would not have been possible without our relentless advocacy and coalition-building over many years. We were literally laughed at when we first said we weren't going to back down on funding fairness in this category. The sum-certain 42% in year one and 45% reimbursement in year two might be less than half of the sum-sufficient 90% we asked for, but it's still the highest reimbursement rate we've seen in three decades and puts us a big step closer to ending funding discrimination for students with disabilities.
Huge thanks and congratulations to all who took budget action this year: those who signed onto letters, testified, called, sent emails, attended listening sessions, visited lawmakers, talked to their friends & neighbors, and to the remarkable grassroots organizing efforts of disability advocates on the "Learn in My Shoes" team and the child care advocates at W.E.C.A.N. We're especially grateful to our friends at Citizen Action, Wisdom, and WEAC for joining us to set a high bar for making our shared needs, expectations and values clear throughout this budget process. Together we made an impact that helped make a bad budget better. This is a win worth celebrating even as we share our frustration over the final deal.
In the final hour, though, politics won out over people.
Republicans, still angry over the governor's "400 year veto" in the last budget cycle, callously rejected the urgent and well-documented needs of our kids; Gov. Evers - and enough Democrats to get the bill over the finish line - sacrificed public schools and other budget needs for other priorities in a race to beat the federal budget to the deadline.
The budget sends public school students back to school this fall *AND NEXT FALL* with $0 in new state general aid. This is perhaps unprecedented. Even the deep cuts of the Walker administration in 2011 provided a slight bump in year two (-8.1% and 1.4%). This shocking move seems purely out of spite over the 400-year veto; we are told that Republicans "wouldn't budge" on this. We are deeply disappointed that a refusal to provide spendable general aid wasn't a deal-breaker in these negotiations.
The much-needed increase to the special education reimbursement and mental health supports are significant and welcome, but remain woefully inadequate to meet districts' needs, and are no substitute for adequate, predictable, and spendable state aid.
Withholding state aid at a time of urgent need, with deep federal cuts looming, is a guarantee that local communities will have to close the gaps with higher property taxes. And where they can't, kids will pay the price. Either way, the gaps get wider and the state fails to meet its constitutional obligation to fund public schools that are "as uniform as practicable."
66% of districts will see a cut to state aid in 2025-2026; most of those who fare better will not even receive an inflationary increase.
And while public schools will receive no new general aid, the budget contained a provision that private school students in voucher and independent charter schools are guaranteed an annual increase, even though the Wisconsin Constitution only requires the state legislature to fund public schools.
So we are braced for another round of record numbers of referenda, belt-tightening, school closures, and being forced to do more with less. But we are ready for it. We are here to help your referenda teams, amplify your local action, and provide whatever support we can to get organized, focused and connected to support our kids through the next two years.
And we are resolved to fight harder, speak up louder, and keep fighting to hold the state accountable to meet its constitutional obligation to every single kid in every single public school. Even if it doesn't feel like it in this moment, we made significant gains in this budget cycle and we will continue to do whatever we can to support and inspire local action with statewide impact to demand and deliver the thriving public schools Wisconsin kids deserve.
JOIN US. If you are frustrated and ready to do something about it, come to our Summer Summit in Green Bay July 23-24 to find out how YOU can be part of the critical movement to support Wisconsin students and their public schools. We will debrief the budget, learn from experts, and lean deep in action-focused sessions that help us connect and plan forward. We need you there: WisconsinNetwork.org/Summit
Until then, please joining us in reminding anyone taking a victory lap in this moment that Wisconsin kids lose every time we pass a budget that fails to meet their needs. A commitment to widening our gaps is nothing to celebrate.
Final budget votes in the Senate and Assembly: (see complete listing below)
Senate: 19/14
Assembly: 59/39
Democratic YES votes:
Senate: Dassler-Alfheim, Hesselbein, Pfaff, Smith, Wall
Assembly: Billings, Doyle, Emerson, Johnson, McCarville, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri
Republican NO votes:
Senate: Felzkowski, Hutton, Kapenga, Nass
Assembly: Allen
Budget votes fell on party lines, except where indicated here by red and blue dots to signify breaks from party votes.
In gratitude for your passionate advocacy for Wisconsin students and their public schools,
- Team Public
SUPPORT LOCAL ACTION WITH STATEWIDE IMPACTYour contribution sustains our organizing efforts statewide and ensures every student in every public school has equal opportunity to shine and succeed. Support our work today and be the reason Wisconsin kids thrive!PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
LOCAL LEVEL ACTION. STATEWIDE IMPACT.
Wisconsin Public Education Network is a project of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization. To support our work, donate here!
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
1502 W Broadway
Suite 102
Madison, WI 53713
United States
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The Schools of Wisconsin have been a source of pride in our state since the beginning of time but our state legislature has been starving our schools for years and now the federal government is attempting to do the same. Our legislators
must be accountable. These numbers below about potential cuts from US Department of Education and the US Department of Agriculture were calculated using the data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has created a webpage to offer up-to-date information, highlight the importance of these funds, and to provide tools and resources needed to advocate for Wisconsin's educational future. Please visit this website for the latest information.
dpi.wi.gov/policy-budget/federal-funding
Public School funding and the State Budget continue to be major state level issues. Declining state support has forced districts to rely more heavily on local referendums and property taxes just to meet basic needs. This model is unsustainable — and it creates deep inequities across communities. We need the state to step up.
One of the most urgent needs is increasing reimbursement for mandated special education services. School leaders across Wisconsin are united in asking for reimbursement of at least 60% sum sufficient. This investment would free up vital resources and improve support for all students.
***Can you take 5 minutes to contact your State Senator and Assembly Representative and urge them to prioritize K-12 education in the state budget?
Here is a suggested script you can use, please feel free to personalize it, any way you can make it your own will help! You can read it during a phone call/message, or edit for an email:
"Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a [parent / educator / community member] in the (name your school district). I’m calling to ask [Representative/Senator NAME] to support increasing state reimbursement for special education services for public schools to 60% sum sufficient.
Right now, our schools are only reimbursed for 29% of these costs, even though special education is federally required. That leaves local taxpayers to cover the other 71%, taking away resources from general education, staff pay, and future planning. This year many schools that went to referendum will be using those funds to make up the shortfall of coverage for special education.
Please make public school funding a priority in the state budget. The public-school districts in WI are proud to support all students, including those with disabilities. But we need adequate state funding to do it well.
Thank you
In the meantime, look at the data and contact Joel Kitchens (608) 266-5350
Andre Jaques (608) 266-3512
Tony Wied (202) 225-5665
Tell them Wisconsin's children can't afford their cuts that benefit the wealthy!
dpi.wi.gov/policy-budget/federal-funding
Public School funding and the State Budget continue to be major state level issues. Declining state support has forced districts to rely more heavily on local referendums and property taxes just to meet basic needs. This model is unsustainable — and it creates deep inequities across communities. We need the state to step up.
One of the most urgent needs is increasing reimbursement for mandated special education services. School leaders across Wisconsin are united in asking for reimbursement of at least 60% sum sufficient. This investment would free up vital resources and improve support for all students.
***Can you take 5 minutes to contact your State Senator and Assembly Representative and urge them to prioritize K-12 education in the state budget?
Here is a suggested script you can use, please feel free to personalize it, any way you can make it your own will help! You can read it during a phone call/message, or edit for an email:
"Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a [parent / educator / community member] in the (name your school district). I’m calling to ask [Representative/Senator NAME] to support increasing state reimbursement for special education services for public schools to 60% sum sufficient.
Right now, our schools are only reimbursed for 29% of these costs, even though special education is federally required. That leaves local taxpayers to cover the other 71%, taking away resources from general education, staff pay, and future planning. This year many schools that went to referendum will be using those funds to make up the shortfall of coverage for special education.
Please make public school funding a priority in the state budget. The public-school districts in WI are proud to support all students, including those with disabilities. But we need adequate state funding to do it well.
Thank you
In the meantime, look at the data and contact Joel Kitchens (608) 266-5350
Andre Jaques (608) 266-3512
Tony Wied (202) 225-5665
Tell them Wisconsin's children can't afford their cuts that benefit the wealthy!
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Remember all the times Republicans told us that gun deaths were not caused by guns but from poor mental health of the shooters? From Urban Milwaukee:
Wisconsin Schools Losing $8 Million in Federal Mental Health Grants!
Trump administration killing $1 billion program, claiming civil rights violations.
To learn more: urbanmilwaukee.com/2025/05/04/wisconsin-schools-losing-8-million-in-federal-mental-health-grants/
Network partners have been a leading voice in this year's budget conversation, and we are now at the critical moment:
As the process moves to the next stage, the coming weeks are critical for public school advocates. The Joint Finance Committee hearings have concluded, but it’s not too late to get involved — we know the pressure on the government to do right by our children is working.
This work is urgent: The Joint Finance Committee announced that it will begin executive sessions on the 2025–27 state budget this TOMORROW, May 8. The first action will be voting to remove hundreds of policy items of the Governor’s budget, originally submitted to the Legislature in February. Learn more about what's on the chopping block here.
Our job now is to make sure those priorities align with the needs of our kids - and that the Governor signs a budget into law that is adequate to meet them.
WAYS TO TAKE ACTION NOW:
1) It's time to connect with our own lawmakers across the state to tell our local stories and make sure they know what’s at stake for local students. This is about meeting kids’ needs and providing them with the conditions it takes to thrive in our public schools Let them know you appreciate our public schools and expect an investment in the 2025-2027 state budget that puts kids first.
That means: a significant increase in spendable state aid (with an increase to revenue limits and aid aligned with priority needs) AND at least a 60% sum sufficient reimbursement for special education costs.
3) Sign our petition calling on the Governor to close the special education funding gap in the 2025-2027 budget.
4) Invite the individuals you know to join the chorus of public education champions speaking up across Wisconsin.
5) Save the date and stay tuned for more information on how you can participate in our upcoming statewide day of action on Tuesday, May 27 in Madison or where you live.
View our Budget Action Toolkit here, and check out our Budget HQ for talking points and more information!
The final public hearings on the state public concluded last week, but the state budget process is not over and our work to be a voice for Wisconsin students is not done.
It is both heartbreaking and reaffirming that the focus of testimonies is so similar to what it has been in past budget cycles: yet again, Wisconsinites are pleading with our elected leaders to deliver a budget that meets the needs of Wisconsin kids. According to our tracker, public education funding was the single-most mentioned topic, and funding for childcare, early childhood, pre-K-12 public schools, and higher education made up 30% of all testimonies.
Public school champions from districts across the state provided moving personal exemplification and consistent asks: fund special education, get spendable aid into classrooms, raise the low revenue limit ceiling, and help districts keep their schools operating and serve their students without having to go to referendum after referendum. We are deeply grateful to every single person who showed up at the hearings to beat the drum for adequately funding our public schools, but also acknowledge that the timing and locations of the hearings make them inaccessible to many parents, caregivers, students, teachers, and other advocates. The powerful testimony below from Melanie Grosse not only touches on the fact that many are not able to make it to the hearings, but is also an urgent and poignant plea for something we heard prioritized again and again during the hearings: at least 60% sum sufficient special education reimbursement for public schools:
I want to start by asking you to picture one child. A child full of wonder, full of questions, full of potential. But instead of soaring, this child is stalled not because they can't learn, but because the very system that is meant to support them is falling short. That child? He's mine, and he's not alone. The real obstacle to providing our children with the education they deserve lies not in the dedication of their educational teams, but an outdated funding model that no longer meets today's standards. Before I go any further into this issue, I want to highlight the reality that many families, my own included, are facing. My husband is working overtime so I can be fully available to advocate for our child's education therapies and essential resources. Today, I am here to speak on behalf of all families who may not have the support or resources they need, because no family should have to be forced to choose between economic stability and being present in their child's development. My name is Melanie Grosse I'm a coalition leader with the Learn in My Shoes Campaign, a partner in Partners in Policymaking, and most importantly, I am a very proud mother of a brilliant, funny, and curious autistic child in special education. I'm here today, not just as a mom, but as a voice for him and for thousands of other Wisconsin children who are being left behind by a system that's underfunded, overstretched, and under attack. I'm here with a simple and urgent request: invest in our kids. Specifically, I urge you to raise Wisconsin's special education funding and reimbursement rate to no less than 60 percent sum sufficient. Every child deserves a high quality education; for students with disabilities, that means more than just textbooks and classrooms, it means trained, compassionate staff who understand their needs, individualize support that meets them where they are, and specialized services that doesn't just help them learn but thrive. Investing in special education isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart investment in Wisconsin's future. When we give children with disabilities the tools to succeed, they grow up to become skilled workers, responsible citizens, and contributors to our economy and communities. This strengthens our workforce, reduces long-term dependency, and builds a stronger, more self-reliant Wisconsin. This is not a handout, it's a hand up. It's a promise to our children, to our families, and to the values that we all claim to hold dear. It's the kind of investment that pays off, not just in dollars, but in dignity, opportunity, and hope. When we fund special education properly, we do more than support students. We support the families who fight for them. We strengthen the communities that surround them. We build a Wisconsin that lifts every child, not just the easiest to teach. You have the power and the responsibility to do better. No more next sessions. No more excuses. It's time to invest in a special education system that empowers children with the tools to seize opportunities and give families the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children. A system that stands for fairness, for opportunity, and for the right of every child in every district to reach their full potential and drive Wisconsin's future forward. I want to live in a state that says you belong, you matter, and we will fight for you. So, let's be the state that leads. Let's be the lawmakers, the leaders, the neighbors who stood up and said, we will not leave a single child behind. Let's make this the moment we look back on and say that's when it changed. That's when we chose courage over comfort, compassion over convenience, and our kids over politics. Let's rise to the occasion, let's rise for our children, and let's rise together.
View (and share!) our budget priorities below (Spanish version linked here).
Your contribution sustains our organizing efforts statewide and ensures every student in every public school has equal opportunity to shine and succeed. Support our work today and be the reason Wisconsin kids thrive!
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
LOCAL LEVEL ACTION. STATEWIDE IMPACT.
Wisconsin Public Education Network is a project of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization. To support our work, donate here!
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
1502 W Broadway, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53713
As the process moves to the next stage, the coming weeks are critical for public school advocates. The Joint Finance Committee hearings have concluded, but it’s not too late to get involved — we know the pressure on the government to do right by our children is working.
This work is urgent: The Joint Finance Committee announced that it will begin executive sessions on the 2025–27 state budget this TOMORROW, May 8. The first action will be voting to remove hundreds of policy items of the Governor’s budget, originally submitted to the Legislature in February. Learn more about what's on the chopping block here.
Our job now is to make sure those priorities align with the needs of our kids - and that the Governor signs a budget into law that is adequate to meet them.
WAYS TO TAKE ACTION NOW:
1) It's time to connect with our own lawmakers across the state to tell our local stories and make sure they know what’s at stake for local students. This is about meeting kids’ needs and providing them with the conditions it takes to thrive in our public schools Let them know you appreciate our public schools and expect an investment in the 2025-2027 state budget that puts kids first.
That means: a significant increase in spendable state aid (with an increase to revenue limits and aid aligned with priority needs) AND at least a 60% sum sufficient reimbursement for special education costs.
- Phone: Call (608) 266-0382 for the capitol switchboard and get connected to your representatives. Call (608) 266-1212 to contact Governor Evers.
- Email: Click here for our copy/paste-able list of all the members of the Joint Committee on Finance. Don't forget to CC your own representatives! Use this contact form to send your message to the Governor.
- Set up a meeting with them in person to let lawmakers know public schools are your issue, too!
3) Sign our petition calling on the Governor to close the special education funding gap in the 2025-2027 budget.
4) Invite the individuals you know to join the chorus of public education champions speaking up across Wisconsin.
5) Save the date and stay tuned for more information on how you can participate in our upcoming statewide day of action on Tuesday, May 27 in Madison or where you live.
View our Budget Action Toolkit here, and check out our Budget HQ for talking points and more information!
The final public hearings on the state public concluded last week, but the state budget process is not over and our work to be a voice for Wisconsin students is not done.
It is both heartbreaking and reaffirming that the focus of testimonies is so similar to what it has been in past budget cycles: yet again, Wisconsinites are pleading with our elected leaders to deliver a budget that meets the needs of Wisconsin kids. According to our tracker, public education funding was the single-most mentioned topic, and funding for childcare, early childhood, pre-K-12 public schools, and higher education made up 30% of all testimonies.
Public school champions from districts across the state provided moving personal exemplification and consistent asks: fund special education, get spendable aid into classrooms, raise the low revenue limit ceiling, and help districts keep their schools operating and serve their students without having to go to referendum after referendum. We are deeply grateful to every single person who showed up at the hearings to beat the drum for adequately funding our public schools, but also acknowledge that the timing and locations of the hearings make them inaccessible to many parents, caregivers, students, teachers, and other advocates. The powerful testimony below from Melanie Grosse not only touches on the fact that many are not able to make it to the hearings, but is also an urgent and poignant plea for something we heard prioritized again and again during the hearings: at least 60% sum sufficient special education reimbursement for public schools:
I want to start by asking you to picture one child. A child full of wonder, full of questions, full of potential. But instead of soaring, this child is stalled not because they can't learn, but because the very system that is meant to support them is falling short. That child? He's mine, and he's not alone. The real obstacle to providing our children with the education they deserve lies not in the dedication of their educational teams, but an outdated funding model that no longer meets today's standards. Before I go any further into this issue, I want to highlight the reality that many families, my own included, are facing. My husband is working overtime so I can be fully available to advocate for our child's education therapies and essential resources. Today, I am here to speak on behalf of all families who may not have the support or resources they need, because no family should have to be forced to choose between economic stability and being present in their child's development. My name is Melanie Grosse I'm a coalition leader with the Learn in My Shoes Campaign, a partner in Partners in Policymaking, and most importantly, I am a very proud mother of a brilliant, funny, and curious autistic child in special education. I'm here today, not just as a mom, but as a voice for him and for thousands of other Wisconsin children who are being left behind by a system that's underfunded, overstretched, and under attack. I'm here with a simple and urgent request: invest in our kids. Specifically, I urge you to raise Wisconsin's special education funding and reimbursement rate to no less than 60 percent sum sufficient. Every child deserves a high quality education; for students with disabilities, that means more than just textbooks and classrooms, it means trained, compassionate staff who understand their needs, individualize support that meets them where they are, and specialized services that doesn't just help them learn but thrive. Investing in special education isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart investment in Wisconsin's future. When we give children with disabilities the tools to succeed, they grow up to become skilled workers, responsible citizens, and contributors to our economy and communities. This strengthens our workforce, reduces long-term dependency, and builds a stronger, more self-reliant Wisconsin. This is not a handout, it's a hand up. It's a promise to our children, to our families, and to the values that we all claim to hold dear. It's the kind of investment that pays off, not just in dollars, but in dignity, opportunity, and hope. When we fund special education properly, we do more than support students. We support the families who fight for them. We strengthen the communities that surround them. We build a Wisconsin that lifts every child, not just the easiest to teach. You have the power and the responsibility to do better. No more next sessions. No more excuses. It's time to invest in a special education system that empowers children with the tools to seize opportunities and give families the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children. A system that stands for fairness, for opportunity, and for the right of every child in every district to reach their full potential and drive Wisconsin's future forward. I want to live in a state that says you belong, you matter, and we will fight for you. So, let's be the state that leads. Let's be the lawmakers, the leaders, the neighbors who stood up and said, we will not leave a single child behind. Let's make this the moment we look back on and say that's when it changed. That's when we chose courage over comfort, compassion over convenience, and our kids over politics. Let's rise to the occasion, let's rise for our children, and let's rise together.
View (and share!) our budget priorities below (Spanish version linked here).
Your contribution sustains our organizing efforts statewide and ensures every student in every public school has equal opportunity to shine and succeed. Support our work today and be the reason Wisconsin kids thrive!
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
LOCAL LEVEL ACTION. STATEWIDE IMPACT.
Wisconsin Public Education Network is a project of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization. To support our work, donate here!
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
1502 W Broadway, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53713
All over the state, parents and caregivers, educators, and school and district leaders are taking action to stand up for a budget that works for our public schools and communities!
Here are just a few highlights:
Here are just a few highlights:
- Learn in My Shoes: Wisconsin special education funding; 2 moms lead advocacy campaign
- School District of Reedsburg (video): "Did You Know?" video explains special education funding
- Fox Cities Advocates: Reimburse Special Education at lead 60% (sum sufficient)
- Hundreds gather at Capitol for child care rally
- Wisdom Lobby Day: clergy lead call for responsible budget on incarceration, housing, public education
- Michael Walsh, Letter to the editor: Stop using public funds for unaccountable private schools
- Wauwatosa parents want more state funding for special education and mental health services
Educate yourself on School Voucher programs
Wisconsin schools once led the Nation for excellence. What happened?
www.epi.org/publication/vouchers-harm-public-schools/?fbclid=IwY2xjawITFY1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXAcHgUGD1KtLV9ejib66t8YRcdSQtAulthRCcW4jLrQ7uBzgP-M9gAonw_aem_ggmF4mkBnoQcrrpXwKmRCQ
www.epi.org/publication/vouchers-harm-public-schools/?fbclid=IwY2xjawITFY1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXAcHgUGD1KtLV9ejib66t8YRcdSQtAulthRCcW4jLrQ7uBzgP-M9gAonw_aem_ggmF4mkBnoQcrrpXwKmRCQ
Do you remember when this happened?
State funding fell behind inflation. As parents and grandparents of students in public schools, we find this appalling.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Why Wisconsin districts are closing schools, going to referendum
Since 1993, Wisconsin school districts have been confined by state-imposed revenue limits, which were locked in at different amounts for each district depending on what they spent the prior year. The limits initially rose each year with inflation, but that provision was deleted in 2009, and any increases since have been left to the discretion of lawmakers.
Over the last 15 years, state lawmakers have not increased revenue limits to keep pace with inflation. MPS officials have estimated that had state funding matched inflation, the district would be getting over $210 million more every year.
This summer, school leaders called on Wisconsin lawmakers to use the state’s $7 billion surplus to help catch schools up to inflation. Republican lawmakers allotted the bulk of the surplus for income tax cuts and provided about $534.3 million more in general school aid.
The state budget allowed schools to spend an additional $325 per student this school year and another $325 next year – amounts that fell below estimated inflation. In Kenosha, for example, Hamdan said it looks like the $325 will cover the estimated increase in health care costs but won't make a dent in any other rising costs, such as utilities and salaries.
Additionally, Wisconsin's funding stream for special education services only covers a third of the costs, leaving school districts to pull from their general aid to cover the rest. Research shows this falls hardest on districts with higher rates of poverty, where there are more students with disabilities and schools must spend more on special education services.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Why Wisconsin districts are closing schools, going to referendum
Since 1993, Wisconsin school districts have been confined by state-imposed revenue limits, which were locked in at different amounts for each district depending on what they spent the prior year. The limits initially rose each year with inflation, but that provision was deleted in 2009, and any increases since have been left to the discretion of lawmakers.
Over the last 15 years, state lawmakers have not increased revenue limits to keep pace with inflation. MPS officials have estimated that had state funding matched inflation, the district would be getting over $210 million more every year.
This summer, school leaders called on Wisconsin lawmakers to use the state’s $7 billion surplus to help catch schools up to inflation. Republican lawmakers allotted the bulk of the surplus for income tax cuts and provided about $534.3 million more in general school aid.
The state budget allowed schools to spend an additional $325 per student this school year and another $325 next year – amounts that fell below estimated inflation. In Kenosha, for example, Hamdan said it looks like the $325 will cover the estimated increase in health care costs but won't make a dent in any other rising costs, such as utilities and salaries.
Additionally, Wisconsin's funding stream for special education services only covers a third of the costs, leaving school districts to pull from their general aid to cover the rest. Research shows this falls hardest on districts with higher rates of poverty, where there are more students with disabilities and schools must spend more on special education services.
