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NEWS THAT MATTERS TO KIDS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
VOUCHER LAWSUIT NEWS ROUNDUP On October 12, 2023, a lawsuit(Underwood v. Vos) was filed asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to find Wisconsin’s unregulated private school voucher and independent charter programs unconstitutional on the grounds that they prohibit the state from meeting its obligation to fully fund our public school system. Wisconsin Public Education Network joined public school champions across the state in applauding the lawsuit as a “long-overdue challenge” that could move toward delivering “the accountability and protections under the law that all Wisconsin students deserve.” To read news and commentary about this lawsuit, follow our news roundup here.
GERRYMANDERING LAWSUIT Another lawsuit with dramatic implications for public schools is already before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court heard oral arguments in Clarke v. WI Elections Commission on November 21. Wisconsin Public Education Network, a proud member organization of the Fair Maps Coalition, joined hundreds of supporters in Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Eau Claire to rally for fair maps and draw attention to the need for a strong democracy that supports strong public schools.
ACT 10 LAWSUIT Don’t worry, there’s more going on in Wisconsin besides litigation. But there really have been a lot of important lawsuits filed this fall! On November 30, seven public sector labor unions, including our educator friends at WEAC and AFT-Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit challenging 2011 Act 10, the Wisconsin law that decimated most public sector unions’ collective bargaining rights! State Superintendent Underly applauded the lawsuit, saying, “Returning collective bargaining rights to public sector employees will strengthen our educator workforce, and strengthening our educator workforce will improve our children’s education and create a stronger future for our state.”
GOV. EVERS VETOES TRANSGENDER YOUTH CARE BAN Public school champions and LGBTQ+ rights advocates have spent hours in the capitol over the last several months to oppose a slate of bills that proposed bans on transgender youth from accessing medical care and participating in sports. In early December, Gov. Evers vetoed this proposal.
FORWARD ANALYTICS REPORT ON SCHOOL FUNDING AND REFERENDA Forward Analytics, the nonpartisan research division of the Wisconsin Counties Association, published a new report suggesting that it’s time to revisit Wisconsin’s school funding formula after three decades of revenue limits. The report found that 100 Wisconsin school districts rely on referendum funds for more than 10% of their total education costs in 2022 and 14 districts where referendum dollars accounted for 25% or more of annual revenue.
WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM FINDS TEACHER PAY IN DECLINE Another recent study, from Wisconsin Policy Forum, finds: “Adjusted for inflation, median pay has fallen over the last decade, with retirements and limited pay increases both playing key roles. State limits on revenues also have constrained school spending, leaving districts caught between teacher retention goals and fiscal realities.”
STAFFING SHORTAGES IN VOUCHER SCHOOL A piece in the Wisconsin Examiner chronicles the stories of former employees of a HOPE Christian School in Milwaukee, which accepts publicly-funded vouchers, who say the school has experienced severe staffing shortages that have caused an unstable environment.
DRUMLINE COMPETITION IN MILWAUKEE This weekend, Milwaukee Public Schools high school and middle school students will participate in an annual drumline battle. We wish these amazing students the best of luck!
ACTION OPPORTUNITIES
BE THE REASON WISCONSIN KIDS THRIVE! We’re doing everything we can to support thriving public schools statewide and the public school champions who have been reaching out early to get organized for 2024. It’s going to take all of us to make it happen. Be the reason Wisconsin kids thrive by setting up a sustaining contribution to our Network and make a real difference for kids at the local level — with statewide impact. And this holiday season, honor an educator with your gift by checking the box to make your contribution in honor of someone! You can send that person a note to let them know you donated in their honor and tell them why you’re fighting for Wisconsin’s public schools!
LEGISLATION MOVES THROUGH CAPITOL Have you been following our Education Legislative Vote Tracker at WisconsinNetwork.org/Tracker? A number of bills directed at kids kids and educators in public schools have moved through the capitol this fall, and public school champions have been following them, their implications, and the actions of lawmakers. Some, like AB510, have threatened students’ freedom to learn by introducing dangerous distractions that spread disinformation about public schools and targeting the freedoms of LGBTQ+ students and educators. Others, like AB535, would improve transparency for taxpayers by including reductions to public school state aid to pay for private schools. Neither of these have become law.
STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST The Wisconsin Labor History Society’s annual high school essay contest is taking submissions until February! High school students in Wisconsin are invited to submit essays on the importance of unions to their family and community.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR 2024 REFERENDA Is YOUR school district one of the many that is going, or considering going, to referendum in 2024? Let us know by contacting Denise@WisconsinNetwork.org. We’re keeping track of the districts going to referendum in 2024 to help understand where the needs are greatest, convey that urgency to the whole state, and provide support to you as you work to support to your local public schools.
MICAH DAVIS AND STEVE BETCHKAL EMMY NOMINATION! Our friends at Soul Shine Creative Studios were nominated for a Midwest Emmy this fall…for their beautiful Public Schools Unite Us video about Eau Claire Area School District alumnus Zach Halmstad and his former band teacher Howard Lehman! While they didn’t get the ultimate reward, we’re so impressed with all four installments (so far) of their compelling Public Schools Unite Us video series and so glad their hard work — and this beautiful story — has received the recognition it so richly deserve. Join us in congratulating Steve and Micah!
CITIZEN ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLBOARD We applaud the Lake Mills-based community group Citizen Advocates for Public Education (CAPE) for their new billboard and campaign on the costs of private voucher programs to their public schools! The billboard in Lake Mills is up this month — if you drive through and see it, send us a picture with it! Thank you for your commitment to transparency and strong public schools, CAPE!
