Wisconsin Voters Approve $3.4 Billion in School Funding

In the recent elections, Wisconsin voters approved 78% of school funding referendum requests, amounting to over $3.4 billion for infrastructure, operations, and staff pay raises across 121 districts. Notably, the Madison Metropolitan School District secured $600 million, while the Wauwatosa and Sheboygan Area School Districts also received substantial support. Despite some referenda failing, such as a $100 million proposal in Sheboygan Falls, the overall success reflects strong public backing for local schools. Critics, including Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly, argue this trend underscores systemic underfunding issues, exacerbated by restrictive state funding policies and the voucher system siphoning resources away from public schools. Republican lawmakers, however, defend the referenda as empowering local taxpayers to make financial decisions for their schools. The results indicate that even amidst a divided political landscape, there remains broad support for public education in Wisconsin.