Wisconsin Republicans Advance $610 Million School Deal as Democrats Rebuke Evers

6 articles · Updated · WPR · May 13

$610 million in school funding cleared Wisconsin’s Joint Finance Committee on party-line votes Tuesday, sending the Evers-Vos-LeMahieu deal to the full Legislature for consideration Wednesday.
The package pairs general school aid with higher special-education reimbursement and a $300 taxpayer rebate, with Republicans arguing it eases property-tax pressure by reducing districts’ reliance on local levies.
Democrats on the committee all voted no, saying the plan spends down the state surplus, leaves schools without enough usable money and fails to solve long-term funding problems.
Education leaders including Superintendent Jill Underly called the package a first step, while the Wisconsin Policy Forum said the special-education increase is substantial but unlikely to end recurring local school referendums.
The fight has widened into the 2026 governor’s race: most Democratic candidates have criticized the agreement, and Republican Tom Tiffany also opposed it, saying the tax relief does not go far enough.

With school aid designed to cut property taxes, will classrooms see any new resources from the state's $1.8 billion budget deal?

Does this budget offer a long-term fix, or will communities still face a future of constant property tax referendums for schools?