Failing our kids (again)

Madison, WI – Today’s Senate session, just the second in four months, was long on bills, short on impact. Rather than attempt to solve the greatest problems facing our state – underfunded schools and rising consumer costs – the Republican majority largely ignored them, and in some cases acted to make things worse.

Take public education, for example. Our local schools are unable to keep up with rising costs because the state legislature refuses to provide adequate funding. Adjusting for inflation, our kids receive $3,380 less than their peers did a decade ago for their education. This has led to an explosion of referendums and higher property taxes across Wisconsin, with a record of 241 referendums in 2024. In the 2025-27 biennial budget, Republicans had a chance to keep property taxes in check while maintaining education funding by increasing General School Aids. They refused to do so, and over 70% of our local districts lost state funding as a result.

Rather than fix their mistake today, Republicans doubled down on it by passing SB 389, which would eliminate a modest $325 annual increase in per-pupil revenue limits beginning in 2027. This will only worsen the state of our public schools and force residents to choose between paying more in property taxes or underfunding their kids’ education. Neither one is acceptable.

We ought to be having a conversation about how we fix our broken school funding formula, how we might finally boost special education funding to keep up with actual costs, and how we can better support our dedicated and talented educators as they prepare the next generation for success. Sadly, the Republican majority would rather play politics.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.