Dec. 10, 2025 3:45p
(WGTD)---A state representative from Racine wants to hold the state’s feet to the fire on the issue of special education funding for public schools in Wisconsin.
State officials once promised districts that the costs of state-mandated special education programs would be covered by a two-thirds reimbursement rate. They never came close.
The recently-passed state budget increased the rate from 32% to 42%. But a cap was placed on just how much money the state was willing to dole out. As it turned out, nearly six months into the new budget cycle, the rate in reality will be just 35%.
State Representative Angelina Cruz—a teacher by trade—has introduced a bill to require the state to live up to its budget promise. "My bill eliminates the uncertainty created under the current sum-certain appropriation," she said. "What it doesn't address is...it doesn't correct the chronic underfunding."
Cruz, a Democrat, predicted a greater number of school districts will have no choice but to go the referendum route in asking voters to approve overrides of state-mandated levy limits.
The reimbursement rate shortfall means $3.5 million less for Racine Unified; $3 million less for Kenosha Unified.
Speaking on the WPR program Wisconsin Today last week, Kenosha Unified Superintendent Jeff Weiss noted that his district never believed that the advertised higher reimbursement rate would pan out. KUSD budgeted conservatively but still needs to fill a sudden gap in funding. "It's the guessing game and the unsure nature of funding," he said. "It's a guessing game as far as how much money we're going to get."
Most legislators seem to agree that public school funding in Wisconsin is a mess but disagree on how to fix it. Weiss says the solution lies in a series of recommendations put out in 2019 by a bipartisan group.
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