Milwaukee, Wis., July 3, 2025 – Coalition members of the Wisconsin Partnership and their hundreds of partners across Wisconsin thank Gov. Tony Evers and legislative leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature for making a historic $330 million investment in the state’s child care sector.
Working together for Wisconsin’s children and families, this significant commitment includes $110 million in direct payments to child care providers to help them keep their doors open and lights on, cut child care wait lists, and lower out-of-pocket child care costs for working families.
Notably, the budget also includes an ongoing state investment of general purpose revenue directly into child care for the first time. This historic provision creates a $65 million school readiness program at the Department of Children and Families, supporting 4-year-olds in child care programs.
Finally, families who rely on Wisconsin Shares will benefit from investments made to ensure greater access to affordable care.
These investments are a fantastic start to what must be a continued and concerted effort by lawmakers to listen and respond to the voices and needs of families, educators and providers in seeking proactive, sustainable support for a thriving early care and education sector in Wisconsin. The state’s overall well-being and long-term outlook in academic success, the workforce and broader economy all stand to gain.
LEADERSHIP QUOTES:
“This state budget reflects the growing understanding that child care is inextricably linked to the educational, social and economic health of Wisconsin. An accessible and affordable child care sector allows the parents of young children to work, which provides employers with a deeper talent pool, all while giving kids a nurturing educational foundation that will serve them throughout school and life. We must ensure that the investments don’t stop here but continue to grow until Wisconsin is a model for early childhood education in the country.”
Gregory M. Wesley, JD – President and CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
“We never stop striving for the best possible outcomes for our youngest learners. For far too long, the business model for child care has been untenable, pushing families, providers and educators to the breaking point. This budget is a step toward putting children and the adults who support them first. We will continue to make sure their voices and interests are at the center of our collective efforts.”
Vincent Lyles – Executive Director, Milwaukee Succeeds
“Wisconsin schools, kids and families will benefit from priorities in this budget cycle, but our work as a Wisconsin Partnership does not end here. We look forward to continued work with policy makers and elected and appointed officials to use this budget cycle as a starting point and launching pad to ensure early care, K-12 and post-secondary education systems continue to be prioritized and strengthened.”
Sarah Beckman, MBA – Executive Director, Achieve Brown County
“This investment is a game-changer for Kenosha County families—helping stabilize the child care sector, expand access for working parents, and strengthen the foundation for early learning and future success.”
Tatjana Bicanin – Executive Director, Building Our Future
“This investment is a critical step toward building a stronger, more accessible child care system in Racine County. It helps ensure families can get the support they need to thrive. Still, there is more work to do to ensure every Racine County resident has the opportunity and resources to succeed in education and employment. We remain committed to working alongside our community and policymakers to create lasting, systemic change.”
Elizabeth Erickson – Executive Director, Higher Expectations for Racine County
In addition to this critical support for our state’s youngest learners, their families and their educators, the 2025-27 state budget makes investments that span the educational landscape and improve the trajectory of Wisconsin’s future, including the largest ever increase in special education reimbursement and investments in our University System. The release of $50 million by the Joint Committee on Finance, to support science of reading instruction, will also go a long way to helping Wisconsin students read at grade level.
ABOUT THE WISCONSIN PARTNERSHIP
The Wisconsin Partnership is a coalition of local education partnerships from across Wisconsin working in Brown, Kenosha, and Racine counties as well as the City of Milwaukee. We focus our work on early childhood education – including kindergarten readiness and early literacy.
Together, we know that for children to succeed, we must transform failing systems and ensure all young people have a pathway to economic mobility. Better systems are grounded in quality data and designed through the authentic engagement of those most directly impacted by our public policies.
The Wisconsin Partnership is supported by StriveTogether, The Ballmer Group, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
Coalition members include:
Higher Expectations for Racine County
