RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) – Governor Tony Evers is pushing for more school funding as he visits districts around the state during the first few days of classes.
He stopped at Rhinelander High School Thursday.
Earlier this week, Evers announced a $2-billion school funding plan. It would draw money from the state surplus rather than increase property taxes. “As compared to other states, frankly the money we put into schools is growing at a much slower rate than the rest of the country,” he said.
Evers said it school funding was worse during previous administrations when he was state superintendent. According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum ranks 25th of the 50 states when it comes to per-pupil spending. That’s down from 11th in 2002.
In the Governor’s 2 proposal for schools, a large focus is on improving mental health services and school nutrition.
State Superintendent Jilly Underly joined Evers in Rhinelander. “Our schools have been asked to do more and more with less and less. When it came to the pandemic, I think we have to put that into context. It was a pandemic, a once in a lifetime, once in a century kind of event and our schools and our school boards handled it wonderfully well for their local communities. I think it’s time that we need to step up as a state and give our school district the resources so that they can address mental health and other needs that have come out of that pandemic.”
The proposal would still need the Republican legislature;s approval, and would be dependent on Evers reelection.
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