Public Education Advocacy

In Wisconsin, our constitution mandates, "The legislature shall provide by law for the establishment of district schools, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable, and such schools shall be free and without charge for tuition to all children between the ages of 4 and 20 years; and no sectarian instruction shall be allowed therein." This commitment to quality education is a cornerstone of our political campaign for better schools.

Since 1993, a per-student revenue limit has been imposed by state policy. This limit combines school funding from state aid and local property taxes, excluding special education aid and per-pupil aid. Despite a recent increase in special education aid, it remains significantly lower than in past years (45% of costs compared to 66% in 1980).

This funding limit has NOT been indexed to inflation since 2010. If it had been, we would be spending an additional $3,571 PER PUPIL per year, which has resulted in an increasing number of local property tax referendums.

Most state funding is determined by property wealth and district enrollment (equalization aid), rather than student need, income levels, or district education costs.

In 2004, the state allocated 44.6% of its revenue to education, but this figure dropped to 32.2% in 2024. Teacher compensation has also decreased by 19% since 2010 (in 2023 dollars), while funding for vouchers and charter schools has increased.

Currently, we spend more on vouchers and charter schools than on special education. For the 2026-27 school year, the state allocated just under 1 billion dollars for voucher and non-district charter schools.

Private schools:

- Aren’t required to accept and educate all students (public schools are).

- Don’t have to follow anti-discrimination laws.

- Aren’t required to hire certified teachers.

- Aren’t accountable to school boards.

- Aren’t prohibited from imposing a religious or ideological curriculum.

- Aren’t required to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

Given these considerations, I would fight for the following changes as part of a political campaign for quality education:

- Quickly phase out tax-funded educational vouchers.

- Ensure tax dollars are not used for private or religious schools.

- Increase funding to past levels, allowing for better teacher pay and support for districts.

- Change or eliminate the current revenue limit, ensuring funding is indexed to inflation.

With broader support, we can improve student performance and make our education system the envy of the nation. Education must be treated as a critical priority and public obligation, not as another budget item to be squeezed or farmed out to private interests. Additionally, we need to ensure that our state university system is an educational and research leader, and that our flagship university remains a world-class institution, delivering quality you can trust.