State Superintendent Urges State Legislature to Release Funds for School's New Reading Program

Saturday, July 13th, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

(Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) When students return to classrooms in less than eight weeks, Wisconsin schools will be required to change the way they teach children how to learn to read. 

But, according to Corrinne Hess with Wisconsin Public Radio, the $50 million budgeted to implement the statewide literacy bill remains in limbo. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction officials expected the funds to be released this week by the Joint Finance Committee.

DPI officials believe a  6-1 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling July 5 that the GOP-controlled committee overstepped their constitutional authority was a win for their department.

In that ruling on a lawsuit filed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, the court found the committee “intruded” on executive power by blocking the ability of Evers’ Department of Natural Resources to acquire land for conservation using funds that had already been earmarked by the full Legislature.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a clear message to the Legislature that now is the time to refocus our energy on the needs of kids,” State Superintendent Jill Underly said after the decision. “The Joint Finance Committee should immediately release the $50 million we already agreed to spend.”

But the ruling does not clearly favor DPI, said Miriam Seifter, a UW-Madison law professor and co-director of the State Democracy Research Initiative. “The decision provides support for DPI’s argument, but doesn’t definitively resolve that case,” Seifter said.

The Supreme Court ruling focused on the Republican-controlled budget committee’s blockage of conservation projects initiated by Evers through what’s known as the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Seifter said the decision was significant for the separation of powers and operation of government in Wisconsin. But the issue between DPI and the GOP is slightly different, Seifter said.

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