Gov. Evers Wraps Up Annual Statewide Back-to-school Tour

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today wrapped up his annual statewide back-to-school tour, during which he visited K-12 schools in communities across the state to welcome students, families, educators, and staff back to school for the 2025-26 school year. As a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and state superintendent, this year marks Gov. Evers’ 49th back-to-school season. Throughout his back-to-school tour, the governor visited classrooms to talk with students, educators, and staff and highlighted his administration’s work to secure increased investments for Wisconsin’s kids and K-12 schools in the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget. The governor also sent a back-to-school video message to educators, administrators, and staff, which is available here.

“I’ve spent my entire career fighting for Wisconsin’s kids and schools. Ever since my early days as a science teacher, the back-to-school season has always been one of my favorite times of year. Each school year provides a new opportunity for students and educators alike to grow, learn, and inspire,” said Gov. Evers. “I declared 2025 the Year of the Kid here in Wisconsin because I’ve always believed doing what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state. Investing in Wisconsin’s students, supporting their families, and respecting educators is a critical part of that effort, and it’s more important than ever. As we kick off another school year in Wisconsin, I will continue to fight to do what’s best for our kids, our schools, and their futures.”

Gov. Evers declared 2025 the Year of the Kid in Wisconsin and proudly signed a pro-kid, bipartisan state budget into law earlier this summer that invests nearly $1.4 billion in spendable revenue for K-12 schools, which includes the largest increase to the special education reimbursement rate in state history, bringing the reimbursement rate to the highest level in 30 years, and $30 million to continue support for school-based mental health services for kids. More information regarding the 2025-27 Biennial Budget is available below.

On Tues., Sept. 2, Gov. Evers visited Browning School in Milwaukee for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) annual first-day-of-school bell-ringing event. During the visit, the governor greeted students and families as they arrived for the first day of school. Afterward, the governor joined Wisconsin State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly, MPS Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Browning School Principal Raymond Unaka, as well as other school and district officials, for a press conference to kick off the school year. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

Following this, Gov. Evers visited Washington Elementary School in Stevens Point with Stevens Point Area Public School District’s Superintendent Dr. Cory Hirsbrunner and Principal Hallie Ritchay. They began the tour by participating in a get-to-know you game with first graders on the playground and then visited classrooms, including reading a book with students and stopping by a sixth-grade class to help with small-group lessons about building community. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

To conclude the day, Gov. Evers visited Altoona Elementary School in Altoona with School District of Altoona Superintendent Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos and Principal Leslie Lancette. During the visit, the governor learned about the district’s efforts to improve student outcomes, participated in a STEM activity with kids in the library, joined in reading a book called “First Day Jitters,” and met with students and staff. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

On Wed., Sept. 3, as a continuation of the back-to-school tour, Gov. Evers visited Beaumont Elementary School in Green Bay, where he was joined by Green Bay Area Schools Superintendent Vicki Bayer and Principal Jenna Paal. During the visit, the governor visited first and second-grade classrooms during their morning activities and finished with a visit to a third-grade class, where they were learning about Wisconsin and major cities across the state. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

Afterward, Gov. Evers, along with the District Administrator Jason Bertrand, went on a tour of the School District of Crandon. The governor started the tour with a visit to a third-grade class, where they were learning about vocabulary, and participated in their activity workshop. Afterward, the governor visited a college-credit Spanish 4 class, where he spoke with the students about their experience and participated in a Q&A. The visit concluded with a stop to an AP Psychology class, where the governor participated in the lesson. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

On Thurs., Sept. 4, Gov. Evers visited Madison East High School, part of the Madison Metropolitan School District. The governor joined Principal Patrice Haste in welcoming and mingling with students before going on to visit an AP African American History class. He then made his way over to an Algebra 1 classroom where the students were learning an introduction to claim, evidence, and reasoning.

Then, Gov. Evers continued his day with a visit to Dodgeville Elementary School, part of the Dodgeville School District. The governor, along with District Administrator Ryan Bohnsack and Elementary School Principal Heather Zizis, participated in a team bonding activity with some students, then went on to join a trivia game with students on Wisconsin history. The governor finished the visit meeting with students who were creating an all-about-me poster.

On Fri., Sept. 5, Gov. Evers visited Hudson Prairie Elementary School and Hudson Middle School and met with students and teachers. During the visit to the middle school, the governor participated in a sixth-grade Language Arts class activity and visited a German language class, where he heard about their most recent lesson, which included a dance to help students learn German. Then, the governor headed over to the elementary school and visited with fifth graders who were learning about coding. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

Following this, Gov. Evers joined an annual field trip with students from Hamilton Elementary School in La Crosse. During the visit, the governor met with students, teachers, and chaperons to answer questions before hiking along Hickory Trail in the Lower Hixon Forest, where they participated in a nature-based scavenger hunt activity. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

On Mon., Sept. 8, to start the day, Gov. Evers visited Cedarburg High School and toured the school, where he was joined by Cedarburg School District Superintendent Jeridon Clark and Principal Casey Bowe. During the visit, the governor participated in an outdoor lesson about the biodegradability of clothing in an environmental science class before heading over to an engineering course discussing designing tools to safely transfer eggs. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

Following this, Gov. Evers visited Wausau East High School and was joined by Wausau School District Superintendent Cale Bushman and Principal Luke Barth. They began the tour by visiting a ceramics class, where the governor was able to follow along with a sculpting lesson. Gov. Evers continued to a contemporary American Literature class and joined small group discussions about different literary periods. The tour ended with a visit to an agriculture class, where the governor watched the class perform a physical on a live goat. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

On Tues., Sept. 9, Gov. Evers visited Great Lakes Elementary School in Superior and was joined by Superintendent Amy Starzecki, Principal Ryan Haroldson, and Mayor Jim Payne for a tour of the school led by two elementary students. During the visit, the governor participated in a sentence writing activity in a first grade class and later, met the school’s therapy dog. Finally, the governor visited third grade classrooms. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

As the final stop of the governor’s back-to-school tour, Gov. Evers visited Chippewa Falls Middle School in the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District. The governor was joined by Superintendent Jeff Holmes and Principal Derrick Kunsman and began the tour with a stop in a seventh-grade math class learning about decimals and fractions before stopping by an eighth-grade social studies class. To conclude the tour, the governor visited a sixth-grade French class, where the governor participated in a lesson learning how to introduce himself in French along with the students. Photos of the visit are available here and here.

BACKGROUND ON EVERS ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS TO INVEST IN WISCONSIN’S KIDS AND PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS

As a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and state superintendent, Gov. Evers fought hard to make sure the 2025-27 Biennial Budget provided increased investments for Wisconsin’s kids and public K-12 schools. After Republican lawmakers threatened to provide no new increases for schools, through negotiations, Gov. Evers secured:

• A nearly $1.4 billion increase in spendable revenue for K-12 schools across the state in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, an over $200 million increase from the historic 2023-25 K-12 budget;
  • The net categorical aid increase is roughly five times larger than the increase provided in the most recent state Biennial Budget and a nearly 100 percent increase above the amount previously approved for K-12 schools by Republican lawmakers on the state budget committee.
• The largest percent increase in the special education reimbursement rate in state history, which will increase to 42 percent in the first year of the biennium and 45 percent in the second year of the biennium;
  • This is the highest reimbursement rate in 30 years and a larger increase for special education than the last three state budgets combined.
  • This is a more than half-a-billion-dollar investment and more than double the increase from the previously approved motion by Republicans on the state budget committee.
• Over $54 million over the biennium for high-cost special education aid;
  • This will increase the reimbursement rate of this program from its current estimated 25.9 percent to 50 percent in fiscal year 2025-26 and 90 percent in fiscal year 2026-27.
• $30 million to continue providing comprehensive school-based mental health services statewide, modeled on the governor’s successful “Get Kids Ahead” initiative; and
  • In 2022, Gov. Evers created the successful “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, designed to help support kids’ mental and behavioral health in schools across Wisconsin, and directed $30 million in federal funding to support the effort to expand access to school-based mental health services.
  • Gov. Evers previously fought to secure $30 million in state funding as part of a bipartisan compromise on shared revenue during the last biennium to build upon the success of his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative and ensure kids across Wisconsin would continue to have access to comprehensive mental health services in K-12 schools.
  • This investment secured by Gov. Evers in bipartisan budget negotiations with Republican leaders continues building upon this important work, ensuring school-based mental health services continue to be available for kids at school through the next two years.
• $2 million in operations funding for the DPI in the state budget committee’s Supplemental Fund after Republican lawmakers previously voted to cut 10 percent of the agency’s operating costs in each year of the biennium through the state budget process.

Gov. Evers also exercised his broad, constitutional veto authority to partially veto aspects of the budget that were outside of the bipartisan budget negotiations. More information about the bipartisan budget signed by Gov. Evers is available here.

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.