Mar. 28, 2026 9:15a
(WGTD)---State aid for Wisconsin’s public schools is inadequate and the funding formula is confusing to the public. That's the consensus among area school superintendents, school board members and teachers who expressed growing frustration over the situation at a roundtable discussion in Racine this week that was hosted by State Representative Angelina Cruz.
Gov. Evers and Republican legislative leaders are still said to be negotiating over a plan to increase school funding and provide greater property tax relief.
At the roundtable, Kenosha Unified Superintendent Jeff Weiss noted that recent property tax increases are the result of the percentage of state funding going down, and not the result of a big increase in spending. "We are in the process of cut, cut cut, cut. What do we have to stop doing for kids as opposed to what can we do for kids?" Weiss asked rhetorically.
A funding formula 'fix' was hammered out by a bi-partisan task force several years ago but was quickly placed on the shelf to gather dust. Weiss called that particularly frustrating.
Racine Unified Superintendent Soren Gajewski said the formula needs to be fixed. "Otherwise every year it looks like the school district is coming out with their hand as though we don't know how to handle finances," Gajewski said. "It's exhausting. It's not good for our kids and it's deceptive to our community."
Racine School Board President Jane Barbian is puzzled why the legislature doesn’t act. "Our community wants these great schools but we need to have that support from the state," she said.
State Representative Cruz—the host of the roundtable which was held at The Branch banquet hall—also serves as the president of Racine’s teachers’ union. She was joined by state Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer.
Participants also criticized the funding formula for 'voucher' schools, citing several examples of where it hurts public education.
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