MADISON, WI –. On October 15th, Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction informed school districts across the state of the upcoming changes to general aid funding. The unfortunate reality of this news was that over 70% of our state’s school districts will be losing crucial funding due to state Republicans mishandling of the state budget and their disregard for Wisconsin children, families, and educators.
School districts across the state will be forced to make up this funding shortfall through local referendums, raising property taxes on the hard working families across Wisconsin. Yesterday, State Senators Jeff Smith and Jodi Habush Sinykin, State Representative Jenna Jacobson, and Viroqua School Board President Angie Lawrence held a virtual press conference making it clear that Republicans are at fault for the staggering lack of funding for our public schools and the corresponding hikes in property taxes.
Yesterday, Senate Democrats and School Board Officials called out Wisconsin Republicans for systematically underfunding public schools across our state. Read more:
WKOW 27: State Dems highlight public education funding shortfalls following DPI report
- “The parents and communities of the 17th senate district are all too familiar with this dynamic,” said Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon). “They’ve been forced to referendum more than any other district in the state over the last few years, forcing citizens to raise their own taxes or fund their public schools, because republicans in Madison refuse to act.”
Wisconsin Examiner: DPI data shows general aid decreases for public school districts, increases in voucher enrollment
- “The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) released its 2025-26 general school aid data this week, showing that 71% of public school districts will receive less general school aid this year, while over $350 million in general aid will be diverted to voucher schools.”
- “Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) said that data “provided a harsh reality check for school districts that their state Legislature, specifically the Republican-controlled state Legislature, which they have controlled for 30 out of the last 32 years, does not view them as a priority.”
- “Due to the Legislature’s failure to fund our schools, Wisconsin already has one of the highest property tax rates in the country, and if our communities continue to be forced to referendum, those tax rates will continue to rise, making our state even more expensive than it already is. Wisconsin residents are depending on their elected officials to rein in the skyrocketing costs of living in our state,” Habush-Sinykin said. “Yet, the Republican-controlled Legislature has no problem forcing their constituents to suffer under continuously rising property taxes.”
- “The school districts and areas of high poverty are generally failing when trying to pass a referendum and the wealthy districts generally are passing their referendum when going to their communities… Is this who we really want to be?” Lawrence asked. “Don’t you think that our tax dollars should be supporting every student equally so that each student has a path to academic excellence, and we shouldn’t have to go to referendum in order to provide a high quality education for our students?”
WEAU 13: Democratic State Legislators hold virtual conference addressing public school funding
- “Referring to funnel tax dollars from my district and districts all over the state into unaccountable and unregulated voucher schools. While this is unacceptable, unsustainable, and the teachers, students, and families of Eau Claire deserve much better,” said Smith.
