Special Ed Funding Falls Short
- New state figures show Wisconsin’s special education reimbursement for public schools is coming in far below what lawmakers promised in the 2025–27 state budget.
- The state covers actual costs for private special needs vouchers and then deducts that money from public school aid, while capping support for public school special education.
- Private special education vouchers are reimbursed at 90 percent, nearly three times the rate for public school students, even though most students with disabilities are in public schools, because vouchers aren’t required to follow federal special education laws or have licensed teachers.
Full Story: Special education funding well below what lawmakers pledged
Teachers and support staff are blasting new figures showing the special education reimbursement rate is significantly lower than what lawmakers promised in passing the 2025-27 state budget, and they are emailing their legislators to do something about it.
“Lawmakers who voted for this state budget have turned their backs on our most vulnerable children, failing to deliver on promised special education funding and leaving our students without the supports they need to succeed in school,” said Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, a teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. “This shortfall will mean even more communities forced into holding school referendums in 2026 just to meet basic needs, causing uncertainty and hardship for students who deserve better from their elected leaders.”
According to the state Department of Public Instruction, the initial prorated reimbursement rate for special education students is 35 percent, significantly lower than the 42 percent budget estimate touted by supporters of the state budget passed in July.
Educators were promised by lawmakers who voted for it that increased special education funding would provide enough financial support to school districts to make up for zero increase in general aid to public schools for the next two years. In fact, Joint Finance Committee co-chair Sen. Howard Marklein said in his back-to-school video message that students and educators would benefit from the budget. Now, parents and teachers are pushing back.
“Lawmakers who backed the state budget didn’t see fit for even an inflationary increase in general aid,” Wirtz-Olsen said. “They devalued public school special needs students by refusing to reimburse their care at the same level as unaccountable private vouchers. Now, they’re caught lying about the scant resources they are providing.
“It’s time for these politicians to fix Wisconsin’s school funding formula and fulfill what the state Constitution requires,” she said. “Taxpayers have had enough of increasing property taxes to make up for the state’s refusal to fund schools. If elected officials won’t take action for the students who most need help, educators and families will.”
All WEAC members are encouraged to email Governor Evers and their legislators, demanding that they fix the problems the budget has failed to address.
