Contact: Rep. Jessie Rodriguez (608) 266-0610

MADISON – State Representative Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek) joined her Assembly Republican colleagues this afternoon for a press conference to announce the GOP proposal for K-12 Education in the next biennial budget. The proposal includes more than $500 million in state support, funding schools at two-thirds for the first time since the requirement was eliminated under Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle.

“Last session, my colleagues and I promised to make a historic investment in K-12 education to ensure that schools across the state would receive the funding needed to give every child a great education, a budget that Gov. Evers said was a “pro-kid budget.” Today we are following that up with a budget that increases support in areas of need and follows through on our commitment to fund schools at two-thirds,” said Rodriguez.

The GOP proposal provides an increase in funding of more than $500 million over the biennium coming on top of the $636 million investment in the last budget.

The new proposal will provide an increase of $200 and $204 per pupil in the first and second years of the biennium respectively, in addition to a 13 percent increase in special education funding and more dollars for mental health.

“Special education funding has remained flat over the last decade and in talking with my schools they both asked for more funding for special education and mental health. This proposal delivers in both of those areas of need,” said Rodriguez.

Under former Gov. Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin law required the state provide two-thirds funding for the total cost of public schools in Wisconsin. Former Gov. Jim Doyle eliminated that requirement in his 2008 budget.

“Over the last eight years we have budgeted responsibly and made sound investments that allows us to make this important investment in our schools. Gov. Evers ran on bringing back two-thirds funding for schools and we are meeting his promise,” said Rodriguez.

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