LETTER: We are suing the Legislature for fair public school funding

To Ozaukee Press:

A coalition of organizations and individuals who care about the students in Wisconsin’s public schools have filed a lawsuit to compel legislative leaders to meet their constitutional responsibility to adequately and equitably fund public education.

The Wisconsin Education Association Council is drawing a line in the sand with this lawsuit to demand a fix for this broken school funding system so every child has a real shot at success. Our students, our neighborhoods and our future are too important to shortchange.

The last state budget process began with a surplus of more than $4 billion and a recent history of state school funding lagging inflation by more than 20%. Record numbers of school districts were going to referendum just to meet their basic costs. It didn’t.

While Wisconsin public schools continue to lose ground to inflation, and fall behind most of our neighboring states, unaccountable private voucher schools have enjoyed record funding increases from the state. 

Among other inequities, the state now funds mandated special education costs at around 35% for public schools, while it funds special needs vouchers for private schools at close to 100% of costs. Private schools receiving special needs vouchers receive three times the reimbursement as public schools, even though 95% of the state’s special education students are in public schools.

The support that local school referendum efforts have received from communities in recent years is heartening but unsustainable. It is no way to fund public schools.

Overwhelmingly, we Wisconsinites care about students and know schools are underfunded. We are outraged at state government’s unfair treatment, shortsighted public policy and general indifference. It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to get elected officials to do the right thing, but when the state is forced to meet its obligations instead of shifting costs onto property taxpayers, students will finally have the public schools they deserve.

Peggy Wirtz-Olsen

President

Wisconsin Education Association Council