(The Center Square) – While many Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers applauded a proposal for a $3 billion increase in state K-12 education funding, one Republican lawmaker pushed back strongly against the proposal.
Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, wrote that increased funding has not helped student performance and that student achievement has dropped and racial achievement gaps have increased under Department of Public Institution Superintendent Jill Underly.
“Lack of funding is not the problem,” Allen said in a statement. “In the 2023-2025 budget, the state increased the low-revenue ceiling to $11,000 per student while also increasing per pupil spending by $325 per student each year.
“This led to an increase of over $500 million in general school aids. We added more money for reading initiatives, more money for mental health, more money for school library aids, and the list goes on. Overall state-funded per pupil sending in Wisconsin is $8,587. This is the highest it has ever been.”
Allen said there has also been a $100 million increase in state special education funding.
Underly’s proposal includes increasing the state’s reimbursement rate for special education expenses from the current 32% to 75% in financial year 2026 and 90% starting in 2027 at a cost of $2 billion over the two-year budget.
“The reality is that the number of special education students has doubled since the 1970s and the cost to provide special education has increased by 600%,” Allen said. “Instead of finding ways to address these challenges, Dr. Underly wants the state to spend seemingly endless amounts of taxpayer money.”
Allen said that Underly’s plan would use most of the state’s $4.6 billion general fund surplus with no plan on how to fund the programs in future budgets.
“A better solution is the local school referendum,” Allen said. “These referendums keep the power and choice for how and when to spend tax dollars with people in local communities rather than creating a one size fits all approach.”
Several Democratic lawmakers applauded Underly’s proposal, saying that it gives all children access to quality public education.
“For too long the state has been underfunding public education, forcing schools across our district and Wisconsin to rely on increasing property taxes to maintain operations,” said Rep. Jenna Jacobson, D-Oregon.
Rep. Shelia echoed Jacobson’s comments, saying that the funding increase would allow for proper special education supports for students.
“As a former special education teacher for the Madison Metropolitan School District, I know firsthand the importance of this increase,” Stubbs said in a statement. “I have been advocating for an increase to special education funding since I was sworn into the Legislature in 2019 as one of my top policy priorities.”
