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Budget Committee Begins Deliberations – Act Now
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 9, 2025
Dear School Leaders,
As the school year winds down and demands increase, we have a crucial opportunity to help shape the state budget. The Joint Finance Committee began its deliberations yesterday, and it’s essential that we act now.
School leaders made a powerful impact at the budget hearings, clearly elevating key priorities and sharing compelling local examples of how increased special education funding—and a state budget with predictable, flexible, and inflation-responsive revenue limits—can drive real change. We now have the chance to build on that momentum. The case for greater investment in special education was made loud and clear. Increased funding benefits every district and strengthens outcomes for students across Wisconsin.
In 2023–24, state aids covered less than a third of school districts’ special education costs. To meet student needs, districts are forced to pull the remaining funds from their general budgets—budgets that have lagged inflation for 16 consecutive years. This underfunding means school leaders are faced with impossible tradeoffs: increasing class sizes, cutting career and technical education programs, and deferring maintenance.
Now is not the time to let up. School leaders were the leading voice at the Joint Finance Committee hearings—and legislative leaders are taking notice. To keep that momentum going, continue reaching out to your legislators and be sure to copy members of the Joint Finance Committee.
With the special education reimbursement rate projected to fall below 30% in 2024–25, the funding gap continues to widen. Share clear, compelling data from your district: What percentage of your overall budget is now being redirected to cover special education costs? What essential services or programs are being cut as a result? These local realities bring urgency to the need for sustainable, equitable state funding that supports every student.
You can find your legislator and their contact information here. The email addresses of Joint Finance Committee members are listed below for your convenience.
Thank you for your continued leadership and advocacy.
JFC Members
Representative Born (Co-Chair)
Representative Kurtz (Vice-Chair)
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