MADISON, Wis. – Over the entirety of the Walker-Kleefisch administration, budget after budget steadily increased the use of taxpayer dollars for private education. They specifically sought to slash public school funds and increase the amount of state dollars for unaccountable private schools, all at the expense of Wisconsin taxpayers.
The expansion of voucher programs often means that many families who were already putting their children in private schools can now get government assistance for something they could already afford and it can pull money away from public school districts whose aid is tied to enrollment numbers.
Rebecca Kleefisch continues to tout her support of programs that prioritize taxpayer funds for private schools at campaign events and during the recent session of the state legislature, she tweeted her support for a package of bills that could raise property taxes by $577 million and direct funding away from public schools.
Governor Evers believes in Wisconsin’s public schools. From restoring the state’s two-thirds funding commitment to signing the first special education funding increase in over a decade, Wisconsin’s K-12 schools are stronger than before Gov. Evers took office. Wisconsin’s schools are now ranked eighth in the nation, up from 18th less than five years ago, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“Rebecca Kleefisch’s war on education isn’t just about defunding our public schools, it’s about sending our tax dollars to private schools instead,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “Wisconsin public schools are places for opportunity for students and Kleefisch would do well to stop pushing divisive policies and start talking about how she plans to make sure all students have access to high-quality education.”
