Gov. Evers unveiled several million-dollar initiatives for Wisconsin’s schools in his 2023 State of the State address Tuesday night.
In his fifth report on the condition of the state, Evers said he plans to present a state budget to the legislature that invests over $300 million to address: the student literacy crisis; recruiting, developing and training teachers; and solidifying the state’s (now temporary) “Get Kids Ahead” mental health program.
The Legislature has vowed to ignore it and generate their own budget. For the first time in history, the state has a record $7.1 billion state surplus.
Gov. Evers is hitting the road with his cabinet secretaries this week to tour the state with their message. Meanwhile, Republicans will tout theirs. Both sides are aiming to ignite voter turnout for the April Supreme Court race, where the winner determines which side controls the court.
Amid all the fighting and mixed messages, WCRIS is proposing a plan to legislators that the Governor actually might be willing to sign. Our proposal calls for an equitable approach to funding special initiatives for education.
Since private schools constitute ten percent of the K-12 school population, we are requesting ten percent of education-related funding for school health and safety grants. The proposal is based on what WCRIS schools have learned from federal pandemic aid and 2017 safety grants.
Private K-12 schools need grants to finance initiatives that address learning loss, access to clean air and water, broadband, school hardening, and mental health treatment.
We are requesting state money be administered by CESA 6 so our schools are free from the federal regulations and bureaucracy tied to federal dollars. Stay tuned to Current Events for how you can advocate for the health and safety of your school.
