Address Disparities in Opportunity and School Funding
In Wisconsin, while 1 percent of Wisconsin’s white children live in high poverty areas 35 percent of African-American children and 18 percent of Latino children do. In 2019, the white graduation rate was 92.7 percent, compared to the Black graduation rate of 67 percent. Wisconsin has the highest gap between Black and white students’ public high school graduation rate. It also had the 47th highest gap between Black and white students in its share of adults with either a high school or bachelor’s degree. Since 2000-01, the number of bilingual pupils in the state has increased by approximately 78%, however, the appropriation for bilingual-bicultural aid increased by only 4%, from $8,291,400 GPR in 2000-01 to $8,589,900 in 2019-20.
Increase mental health support
Between 2016 and 2019, 14.9% of Wisconsin youth ages 12-17 reported a major depressive episode in the past year. During the same time period, 12.1% of young adults aged 18-25 in Wisconsin reported having had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Wisconsin's 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that of the pupils surveyed, 49.0% reported high levels of anxiety, 28.5% indicated depression, and 18.5% reported that they had engaged in self-harm over the previous twelve months.
2021-2023 Budget Polices & Their Outcomes
Create new equity payment to districts of $75 for each student who is from a family with a low income.
When looking at the state of Wisconsin, this added up to about $28 million a year in new resources for school districts.
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
$3 million for driver’s education for students from low-income families.
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
$28 million more over two years for English-language learners in public K-12 schools
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
In-state tuition for all graduates of Wisconsin high schools, regardless of their documentation status
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
$709.5 million for special education aid to schools
Outcome: Cut Gov. Evers' proposal by $624 million, to only $85.4 million, barely enough to hold reimbursement levels steady
$760,000 to expand City Year Milwaukee to more schools
City Year is a non-profit organization that places AmeriCorps members full-time in schools to partner with classroom teachers, tutor pupils one-on-one or in groups, organize school-wide events, and run after-school programs. The program targets pupils in 3rd through 9th grades who exhibit one or more warning signs of not completing high school.
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
$5 million for School Breakfast Program
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.
Expand "Bucky's Promise"
Expand "Bucky's Promise" so WI students with household income of less than $60,000 can attend any UW school tuition-free
Outcome: Not included in the GOP budget proposal that was passed into law.