Rebuilding Wisconsin’s Public Schools: History, Challenges, and the Urgent Case for Investment
Even a century ago, Wisconsin communities took pride in local public schools and their teachers. In 1920, Dorothy Ann Bell taught in a one-room schoolhouse in northern Wisconsin – embodying Horace Mann’s ideal that universal public education is “the most effective and benignant of all forces of civilization”. Mann, the 19th-century “father of the common school,” believed that schooling every child was essential for “good citizenship, democratic participation and societal well-being”. In Wisconsin’s tradition, public education was meant to unite rich and poor and prepare all children for civic life – a promise that current funding and policy are endangering.
Underfunded and Falling Behind. Wisconsin now spends far less per student than it once did. Adjusted for inflation, our $14,882 per-pupil (2023) is nearly 10% below the national average. That ranks Wisconsin 26th in the nation, down from 11th place in 2002. The state’s share of personal income devoted to schools has also dropped faster than most states. By contrast, states that rank at the top for teacher pay and resources (Massachusetts, New Jersey, etc.) invest far more in each student.
Teachers Are Underpaid and Leaving. Wisconsin’s average K-12 teacher salary ($65,762) is well below the national average, placing the state 27th for teacher pay nationally. In practical terms, Wisconsin teachers earn only about 76¢ on the dollar compared to other college-educated professionals. Pay has not kept pace with inflation: teachers today earn roughly $3,700 less per year (in real dollars) than they did 16 years ago. Low salaries and poor working conditions are taking a toll: one Wisconsin superintendent laments that an elementary posting that once drew 75 applicants now attracts “lucky if we get eight to ten” candidates. In 2021–22 the state issued 3,197 “emergency” one-year teaching licenses just to fill seats, a stopgap that often means unprepared educators in classrooms. And it shows: “one of every three new Wisconsin teachers will leave the profession within five years,” a retire-or-quit rate that the Department of Public Instruction calls alarmingly high.
Core Academics and Civics Must Be a Priority. Beyond basic literacy and numeracy, schools must equip students to be informed citizens. The Wisconsin Civic Learning Coalition aptly notes that *“civics education is the bedrock of democratic decision making”*. State standards even aim for Wisconsin students to become “civically-engaged problem-solvers” aware of their roles in government and community. Yet, in practice, social studies and civics often get short shrift under high-stakes testing regimes. One award-winning Wisconsin teacher argues that history and inquiry-based learning are crucial: her students spend days researching issues they care about (even bringing chocolates to discuss child slavery on Halloween). She insists that *“the most important skill students can learn…is critical thinking. Social studies is a great class for developing critical-thinking skills”*. In her view, when students see themselves “as part of our American story” and grapple with real issues, they become better citizens – exactly Mann’s vision of schooling.
Wisconsin Lags in Investment. Decades of policy choices have starved schools. In 2011 Republicans cut local revenue limits, and since then Wisconsin’s education budget has grown far slower than inflation or growth in other states. As a result, public schools increasingly turn to expensive property tax referenda. Voters passed a record number of such referendums in 2024, but relying on local votes creates inequality (districts with fewer wealthy residents struggle more). In Milwaukee – the state’s largest district – community members have even marched with signs demanding funding and respect for teachers. For example, one recent rally featured picketers with slogans like “FUND OUR FUTURE” and “WE DESERVE BETTER,” decrying deteriorating classrooms and neglected books. (Milwaukee spends less per-pupil than adjacent suburban districts, underscoring the unfairness.) Lawmakers have proposed slight budget boosts (2023’s Act 20 gave new per-student aid and higher vouchers), but as a WPR report notes, even with recent increases Wisconsin still spends around 3.3% of income on schools – below the national 3.5%.
Today’s Wisconsin teachers are also demanding their due. In the teacher-shortage report above, State Assembly Rep. Jodi Emerson – once a classroom teacher herself – urged, “Leaders in Wisconsin need to stop demonizing” educators. Wisconsin teachers “have arguably the biggest responsibility of any profession,” she said, and it is “imperative that we treat them with respect and dignity”. One district leader added bluntly, *“We need to pay teachers and school staff like they deserve…It’s so vital for the health of our communities…to provide our kids with a high-quality public education. Recruiting and retaining highly-skilled teachers need to be a top priority.”*. These are not radical ideas – most Wisconsinites would agree that teaching should be honored and compensated like other professions of similar skill. Yet today a teacher with a master’s degree and decades of service often earns less than a college counselor or low-level public administrator. The result is morale and recruitment problems, burnout, and chronic understaffing.
By the Numbers: Funding and Teacher Pay
Per-pupil spending: $14,882 (Wisconsin, 2023) vs. $16,526 (U.S. avg); rank: 26th (down from 11th in 2002).
Teacher pay: $65,762 avg. Wisconsin (2023), which is only ~76¢ on the dollar compared to similar professionals. Teachers now earn ~$3,700 less (inflation-adjusted) than 2007.
Teacher turnover: ~1 in 3 new Wisconsin teachers leave within 5 years. School districts scrambled to hire in 2021–22, leading DPI to issue 3,197 one-year emergency licenses. One principal notes that a decade ago an elementary position drew 75 applications; now it draws just “8 to 10”.
Voucher funding: K–8 vouchers rose to $9,499/student for 2023–24 (up from $8,300) and high school vouchers to $11,993 (from $9,045). In context, Wisconsin’s public schools average $14.9K per pupil – meaning voucher programs now spend roughly $10–12K for selected students, shifting those tax dollars from districts that educate everyone.
Civics & critical thinking: A 2022 study found 25% of Americans cannot name a single branch of government or First Amendment right. Wisconsinites fought back by updating standards in 2018: the state’s social studies framework now aims to make every student a “civically-engaged problem-solver” who understands local and federal democracy. Still, broad curricular mandates must be coupled with support for creative teaching like Erin McCarthy’s.
The School Choice Mirage
For years, some policymakers have touted “school choice” – vouchers and charters – as a way to improve schooling. In practice, however, it is largely an illusion that some parents can choose while most are stuck with underfunded local schools. Research is clear that voucher schemes do not boost overall achievement and often worsen outcomes. An analysis of Wisconsin’s history notes a “research consensus” that vouchers have failed to improve student learning and in fact have “done significant harm”. University of Michigan expert Josh Cowen, who has studied Wisconsin’s long-running program, reports “catastrophic” results: students who left public schools for voucher private schools suffered “horrific learning loss,” the worst when programs expanded statewide. (In contrast, small pilot programs initially showed some gains – but those disappeared when scaled up.)
Moreover, private voucher schools can cherry-pick. Nationwide surveys find many voucher participants never attended public school in the first place. For example, a recent Wisconsin Examiner report notes “most participants in Wisconsin’s voucher programs never attended public school,” meaning taxpayers are simply funding private tuition with no savings to districts. A report for the Economic Policy Institute drives the point home: vouchers simply redirect dollars. As EPI explains, vouchers force public funds to follow students into private schools, even for kids who weren’t in public classrooms before. This “introduces new pressures on public budgets” and creates a fiscal “externality” on the remaining students. In plain terms, when fewer students attend district schools, many costs (buses, buildings, libraries) stay the same – so the students who stay get less support. Statewide universal voucher programs like Florida’s and Arizona’s have led to huge deficits and cuts elsewhere in K-12, as states underestimate the true costs.
School Choice Steals from Public Education. In Wisconsin, calls to expand vouchers are especially fraught. A 2025 budget commentary warned that turning vouchers into a statewide entitlement would “suck up all the resources that might otherwise go to public schools” and could bankrupt the system. Today Wisconsin already dedicates about 9% of state K-12 funds to choice programs (third-highest nationally). At nearly $629 million a year for 58,600 voucher students, that taxpayer money is on track to eclipse much of what we spend on special education (over $575 million for 126,000 disabled students). All this means fewer resources – fewer teachers, counselors, textbooks and after-school programs – for the vast majority of students who remain in public schools.
What Wisconsin Must Do
Wisconsin’s schools and future depend on reversing these trends. We need bold investment and respect for public education:
Boost Funding for All Students. Restore state support so that per-pupil spending (and teacher pay) climb back above the national average. Relying on local referendums is not sustainable or fair. Decision-makers must prioritize education in the budget – the state’s current budget surplus and record school referendums show voters are ready for it.
Honor the Teaching Profession. Competitive salaries, modern classrooms and professional support must be the norm. Leaders should take Rep. Emerson’s admonition to heart: “we have to stop demonizing” teachers, and instead recognize their critical work. Investing in pay and training (like Michigan’s teacher pipelines or student loan forgiveness) will help end the turnover crisis. As local educators insist, providing “high-quality public education” means making teaching an honored calling again.
Emphasize Core Curriculum and Civic Education. Schools should ensure every child masters reading, math, science and history – with an emphasis on critical thinking and civic knowledge. Wisconsin’s standards rightly focus on preparing informed citizens. Classrooms should encourage debate, local history projects, and service learning so students feel invested in their communities. Avoid narrow test-prep and instead follow the example of award-winning teachers who engage students in real-world civic work.
Protect Public Dollars for Public Schools. Finally, Wisconsin must resist the false promise of vouchers. Instead of diverting money to private schools, all public funds should go towards improving neighborhood schools. Any proposed voucher expansion should be rejected or carefully scrutinized. Policymakers ought to heed the lesson of other states: when public funds are pulled out, everyone loses. As one education report warns, taxpayer subsidies to private schools “increase school segregation, siphon funds from public schools…and harm the students left behind”.
Investing in public education is not just a budgetary choice – it’s an investment in Wisconsin’s democracy and economy. Our future teachers and doctors and voters are in today’s classrooms. By elevating educators, fully funding schools, and teaching every child the skills and knowledge they need, Wisconsin can uphold its historic commitment to education for all. The state’s leaders and citizens now have a clear choice: invest in our public schools or let opportunity slip away.
Sources: Historical education context; Wisconsin funding and policy analysis; Teacher pay and shortage data; Civic education importance; Voucher program research and Wisconsin analysis. (Images: photo of 1920 Wisconsin teacher; 2018 Milwaukee teachers’ rally【40†】.)
What Comes Next
This is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing follow-up investigations that break down how we got here—city by city and region by region. We’ll look closely at Green Bay, Appleton, Milwaukee, Madison, and rural communities like Rhinelander, Marinette, and others to expose how levy caps, state policies, and tax shifts have shaped each district’s budget crisis differently.
Each post will trace the local impact of state decisions made in 2006 and 2011, revealing how deliberate legislative choices—not mismanagement—created today’s funding gaps. These aren’t accidents; they’re the outcomes of policies written by the very people we elected, often under the banner of “fiscal responsibility,” while shifting the burden onto homeowners and away from corporations.
Please be patient—I’m one person working to cut through the noise and dispel misinformation about Wisconsin’s education funding. Together, with facts and transparency, we can hold policymakers accountable and rebuild a system that invests in our children and our democracy.
Stay tuned and share—truth thrives when informed citizens get involved.
