WEAC Members Stand Up for Students at April Joint Finance Hearings
Throughout April, WEAC members and leaders showed up and spoke up at Joint Finance Committee public hearings all over the state. The series of four public hearings concluded April 29 in Wausau with leaders from the Fond du Lac Education Association, Reedsburg Education Association and WEAC giving testimony. Previous April hearings in Hayward, Kaukauna, and West Allis also had strong educator presence despite being mostly held during the traditional school day.
Educators showed up to support the funding levels in the Governor Tony Evers’ biennial budget proposal. They urged legislators to uphold Evers’ proposed investments and end the avalanche of local school referendums that so many districts have been forced to pursue in the last several election cycles because of a shortage of state funding.
At the April 29 hearing at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Fond du Lac Education Association Vice President Megan Stroup told the Joint Finance Committee members, “I come to you today to point out inequities of funding across the state of Wisconsin and how it has negatively impacted our district.”
Fond du Lac held an operational referendum on April 1 that the failed to pass. Through the state’s school funding formula, Fond du Lac only receives $3,000 to $4,000 less per pupil than the state average. With the failure of the referendum, Fond du Lac’s administrators have proposed eliminating 83 district positions, including 27 layoffs.
“If we do not pass the next referendum, we will have to cut more programs and even more educators,” Stroup said. “A significant reason why our referendum failed was because Fond du Lac voters are aware of the underfunding our district receives through the state budget and they want our state to do more.”
Governor’s budget invests in the Wisconsin’s future
WEAC President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen said building a better Wisconsin starts with investments in public education. The governor’s budget reduces costs for families and makes crucial investments in students and would improve the quality of life for all Wisconsinites for generations to come.
Wirtz-Olsen said, “This budget embodies educators’ deeply held belief in the importance of investing in students’ education, success, health, and wellbeing. It’s the hope of Wisconsin educators that the Legislature answers the governor’s call for investments that help our schools hire and support more teachers, school counselors and other personnel who can nurture the development and mental health of our children in this especially critical time.”
Pro-student, pro-public education highlights in the governor’s budget proposal include:
• Increases special education funding reimbursement for public school students to 60 percent of their cost, more than doubling the current reimbursement, but still far below the 90 percent reimbursement unaccountable voucher schools receive.
• Restores full, free, and fair collective bargaining rights for public employees.
• Invests an additional $3.15 billion in public education across the board.
• Puts $300 million in fund to get lead out of service lines, water fountains and childcare centers.
• Allocates $80 million for literacy coaches, tutors, and other key literacy supports.
• Makes $60 million increase for technical colleges.
• Increases $325 per-pupil increase to $334 in the first year and $345 in the second year.
• Lowers out-of-pocket medical costs for families.
• Holds the line on property tax increases.
• Cracks down on price gouging.
Contact your elected officials today
With the conclusion of the Joint Finance Committee public hearings, more emphasis is being put on the importance of one-on-one contact between educators and elected officials.
WEAC has resources to help members stay on top of the state budget process and get involved. All WEAC members are urged to email your legislators, the members of the Joint Finance Committee, and Governor Evers and tell them what your students need from this budget.
You can find more information and resources in WEAC.org’s State Budget Toolkit, and the comprehensive Budget Overview.
