FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                              March 1, 2021

Contact: State Representative Rob Summerfield                                                                 (608) 266-1194

               State Representative Jesse James                                                                              (608) 266-9172

              State Representative Treig Pronschinske                                                                  (608) 266-7015

              State Representative Warren Petryk                                                                         (608) 266-0660

              State Representative Dave Armstrong                                                                      (608) 266-2519

GOP Calls on Governor to Prioritize In-person Learning

Altoona – Earlier today, a group of legislative Republicans sent a letter (see attachment) to Governor Evers requesting that he direct more resources to school districts who have in-person learning. Following a press conference this afternoon, State Representatives Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer), Jesse James (R-Altoona), Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi), Warren Petryk (R-Town of Washington), and Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) each had the following to say:

“The science has been clear that our children can safely return to school full-time,” Rep. Summerfield stated. “Governor Evers should prioritize additional resources to districts who have in-person learning because these districts have incurred great costs by getting our children back in schools and they deserve to be compensated for their efforts.”

“We have seen the negative effects virtual learning has on our kids. Across the state there have been spikes in mental health needs since the beginning of the pandemic. Kids need to be in school. We need to prioritize the schools that are offering in-person learning,” said Rep. James.

“We need to ensure that the schools that have been open are provided with adequate funding. It’s important to make sure that the physical and mental health of our children is a priority. This includes trying to get back to some kind of normal,” added Rep. Pronschinske.

“Congratulations to our local schools who have put forth a tremendous effort and have worked with our communities to open their classrooms to their students in a safe way," said Rep. Warren Petryk. "If there is any additional federal funding, it should be prioritized in areas like ours who have taken the lead in bringing back our children to the classroom as quickly as possible."

“We were blessed to have school districts that were able to work hard to provide in-person instruction, and we want to reward their efforts with additional funding,” concluded Rep. Armstrong.

The recently passed Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) has provided Wisconsin with over $20.8 million in additional Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds for public schools. Governor Evers has sole discretion to distribute these monies.

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