Dept. of Public Instruction: State Superintendent Dr. Underly delivers 2026 State of Education Address, urges change in school funding

Celebrates education’s role in democracy, warns of consequences of decades of underfunding, and calls on Wisconsin to demand change 

MADISON — Celebrating the foundational role public education has played in America’s 250 years of democracy, State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly today called on Wisconsinites to come together in support of public schools and help ensure democracy remains strong for generations to come.  

“This is our year to act,” Dr. Underly said during the 2026 State of Education Address at the Wisconsin State Capitol. ”We are at an inflection point and we must decide: Are we going to be part of the generation that allows the status quo to continue? Or are we going to be the generation that chooses to change?”

Joined in the Capitol by students, educators, district leaders, education partners, and elected officials, Dr. Underly celebrated Wisconsin’s extraordinary legacy of strong public education, rooted in the ideals of the region’s founders, who understood that democracy cannot survive without an educated public. She traced that legacy through present day, applauding schools and educators for their critical role in preparing the next generation of engaged citizens and skilled professionals who will strengthen and sustain Wisconsin’s communities.

“This legacy has been passed down to us, and it is our responsibility to uphold it today,” Dr. Underly said. “While public education in the earliest days of our republic was about building the foundation of our nation, today it is about strengthening the people and communities that sustain it. Democracy is not something simply handed down from one generation to the next that endures on its own. It’s something you have to invest in; it’s something you must practice. And that is still, to this day, one of the most important promises of our public schools.”  

Dr. Underly went on to warn that this legacy is at risk if the state continues to fail to provide predictable, sustainable funding that keeps pace with the cost of educating students, adding that this increasingly forces districts to turn to referendum to continue operating.  

“Years of undermining public confidence in public schools does not help children,” Dr. Underly said. ”Record numbers of referendums put pressure on communities, pit neighbors against neighbors and turn schools into casualties of partisan politics instead of the pride of their communities.”   

Though Dr. Underly expressed hope for the future, she emphasized that hope must be paired with action, beginning with fixing the way public schools are funded.   

“The formula used for funding our schools, for years, has failed our children, schools, and entire communities,” Dr. Underly said. “The reasons are varied and complex, but you don’t need to be familiar with every detail of the funding formula to know that it’s simply not working. The evidence is all around us. Just look at the numbers. 

“We know it is not working because over 90% of school districts have had to go to referendum in the past nine years, forced to ask their communities for additional funding simply to keep their schools running and pay their teachers.  We know it is not working because we have all seen our property tax bills.  And, we know it is not working because children are literally suing the legislature because the state has turned its back on the ideals and values of our founders.”  

Dr. Underly closed her address with a powerful appeal to extend the metaphorical “ladder” to the next generation, reminding the audience that many people in positions of influence today benefited from well-funded public schools themselves, but choose not to make that same investment in future generations. 

“That is the choice before us,” Dr. Underly said. “We can pull the ladder up behind us. We can force the next generation to make do with less. We can allow the institutions that bind our communities together to erode, one decision at a time. Or we can choose differently.” 

The 2026 State of Education Address also featured student performances, including the Waunakee High School Flute Ensemble, Lincoln Elementary Dance Group (Madison Metropolitan School District), Velma Hamilton Middle School Choir (Madison Metropolitan School District), and Appleton North Theatre. Dr. Underly also honored the 2026-27 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year.   

The full 2026 State of Education Address, as prepared for delivery, is available on the DPI’s website.