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JFC Education Budget Fails Schools and Taxpayers — Action Needed
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 17, 2025
Good afternoon,
Last week, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) took up the two largest appropriations in the state budget: K-12 Education and Shared Revenue. Today, they are expected to take up the UW System and Corrections, with DCF, DOA, and other remaining agencies scheduled for Thursday. If this pace continues, the committee may finalize the budget as early as next week.
We need your voice—now more than ever. Despite a record state surplus, the majority party’s education budget proposal:
- Provides no increase in General School Aid
- Shifts the cost burden entirely to local property taxpayers
- Undercuts broad-based special education support
This proposal not only fails to meet the needs of our schools, it also raises local property taxes, contradicting the majority party’s public commitments.
Quick Summary of JFC Motion #48:
- General/Equalization Aid: No increase.
- Revenue Limits: $325 per pupil increase annually but funded entirely by local property taxes.
- Special Education Categorical Aid: $229 million over the biennium—reaching 35% reimbursement in FY26 and 37.5% in FY27 (currently 30.6%).
- High-Cost Special Education Aid: $54.6 million—50% reimbursement in FY26, 90% in FY27 (currently ~25.9%).
- Mental Health Services: Net reduction of $10 million for school-based services.
Action Steps:
Please contact your legislators (find yours here) and send a copy of your message to the Governor’s Office (govinfo@wisconsin.gov).
A sample letter from Vicki Bayer from GBAPS can be found here. Below are key talking points you may want to include as you personalize your email to your district:
Why This Budget Fails Wisconsin Schools and Taxpayers:
1. Fails to Adequately Fund Public Schools
- No increase in general school aids means the state is not offsetting costs—districts must rely on property taxes.
- Districts must fund the full $325 per-pupil increase with local tax dollars.
- No increase in per-pupil aid despite rising operational costs and inflation.
2. Undermines Special Education Support for All Districts
- Increases to Special Education Categorical Aid remain well below the needed 60% reimbursement.
- High-Cost Aid only helps about half of the districts, leaving many underfunded.
3. Increases Local Property Tax Burden
- The lack of state general aid shifts the funding burden to local taxpayers.
- This widens funding inequities between property-rich and property-poor districts.
4. Ignores Public Testimony and Expert Recommendations
- Hundreds of school leaders testified, and recommendations from the 2018 Republican-led Blue Ribbon Commission were ignored.
- This budget does not reflect the needs of educators, communities, or students.
5. Misses the Opportunity of a Record Surplus
- Wisconsin has a historic surplus but chose not to invest meaningfully in public education.
6. Short-Term Optics Over Long-Term Success
- The budget may appear fiscally conservative but weakens the future of Wisconsin’s students, workforce, and economy.
Thank you for your continued advocacy. Please take a few minutes to contact your elected officials today.
Best regards,
Dee Pettack
School Administrators Alliance (SAA)
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