Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Dr. Jill Underly
On December 22, 2023, State Superindent Dr. Jill Underly released a statement regarding Gov. Tony Evers' announcement of the highest state surplus and “rainy day” fund balance in Wisconsin history, with a positive balance of $7.07B.
In her statement, Dr. Underly said: “This budget news is a strong reminder that Wisconsin has tremendous resources readily available to help children and families. We must set partisanship aside and invest in our public schools and the future of our kids. I am calling today for the state to increase its contribution to local districts and raise the special education reimbursement rate to 60%. This simple, affordable, and sensible step is the least we can do to help local school districts address growing challenges, balance their budgets, invest in educator recruitment and retention, and help all students succeed.”
PBS Wisconsin
In an interview with PBS Wisconsin’s Here and Now with Frederica Freyburg, Dr. Underly discussed the negative impacts that low special education reimbursement rates have on students in Wisconsin.
Freyburg: "Why is it important for you to go around again on this now?"
Dr. Underly: "Because it’s important. We need our public schools and special education. Reimbursement right now is so low that school districts have to transfer money from their general fund in order to pay for these services, which are required by law.
"So, if we were to increase the reimbursement rate, they wouldn’t have to transfer as much money and we’re also serving kids and we’re able to then fund the other programs that schools desperately need to fund."
Freyburg: "This has been the case for so long."
Dr. Underly: "Yeah, it has, and you see it. It’s having an impact. I mean, it’s been having an impact for decades. But when you look at the number of referendums that school districts have to go to, it’s because they need the funding. They’re not getting reimbursed.
"When you look at the things they want to do, like raise teacher salaries or create music programs or art programs or including things like just general maintenance on their buildings, they’re looking for things to cut because they can’t fund their programs, and if we would reimburse special education at a higher rate, we could do that."
Wisconsin Examiner
Dr. Underly is already setting priorities for her next budget proposal. She expressed hope for 2024 in a recent interview with the Wisconsin Examiner:
From the article, “Dr. Underly is already working on her next budget proposal, which will include teacher recruitment, increasing funding for mental health and, once again, an increase in the state’s special education reimbursement, as well as programs including free meals that address poverty.”
Underly said, “We need to get kids what they need, so that they can be successful and making sure that they’re not hungry is really critical for them to be able to focus and concentrate. I think it’s important that we continue this hopeful outlook because that’s what our schools need. Our schools don’t need to be attacked. Our students don’t need to be attacked. So just supporting our schools, supporting our students and supporting that hope is part of supporting their education.”