The state’s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee passed a Department of Public Instruction (DPI) budget today that provided $500 million more for K-12 education over the next two years, leaving funding for the state’s Choice programs generally intact.
Democrats on the committee criticized the move because it did not provide the $1.4 billion increase in funding that Gov. Tony Evers had proposed.
The Republicans defended the budget as an affordable and sustainable option based on state revenues. They said it closely mirrors what Gov. Evers proposed when he was state superintendent and hoped he would approve it for that reason.
State budget talks will continue in the coming weeks and Republicans have said they hope to get a final budget proposal to Gov. Evers for review in June.
The state budget must be passed by June 30 since a new state budget year begins July 1. However, if the budget is not passed, or vetoed by the Governor, spending will continue at current levels.
Until the budget is passed, private schools in a Choice program should plan for the upcoming school year by using their 2018-19 voucher amounts.
