Wisconsin Assembly Adjourns With No Action on Public School Funding

Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 -- 1:01 PM

(Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin’s state Assembly adjourned Friday without taking action on public school funding.

According to Corrinne Hess with the Wisconsin Public Radio, for weeks, it looked like a deal might be struck between legislative Republicans and Gov. Tony Evers to use some of the state’s $2.5 billion surplus to provide both tax relief and money for schools.

But those talks fell apart early last week. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos proposed a $200 million boost for special education reimbursement.

They’ve also called for a $1,000 tax rebate check for married couples and $500 check for single filers. During an interview with WISN 12’s UpFront, Evers called the rebate checks a “joke” and likened them to buying votes.

“Why don’t we do something that’s more permanent, and that is work on making sure our schools get enough money so that they don’t have to raise the property tax or go to referendum,” Evers said.

Superintendents across Wisconsin have for months been asking the Legislature to put politics aside and provide more funding. In a January letter, superintendents from Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Racine and Kenosha said inflation has increased the cost to feed students, heat schools and cover employee health care costs.

“Wisconsin urgently needs a bipartisan compromise on school funding,” the superintendents wrote. “The current stalemate leaves public school districts unable to plan responsibly and pushes local communities to shoulder costs that the state should be sharing.”

Superintendents from six rural schools in Sauk County echoed the message last week, saying they could not keep asking voters to approve referendums.

Wisconsin’s K–12 public schools have gone without cost of living adjustments for the last 17 years. At the same time, a promised increase in funding for students with disabilities was less than expected this school year.

Vicki Bayer, superintendent of the Green Bay Area Public School District, said Monday she’s disappointed the Legislature could not reach an agreement with Evers on school finance before adjourning.

“The fact that we haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases for the last 17 years has put our district and many others in the same spot where we’re having to make some very substantial cuts to our public education while at the same time more money is going over to vouchers in private schools,” Bayer said. “It’s just not sustainable to have two educational systems that are funded by taxpayers.”

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