MADISON, WI – Today, Wisconsin State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction Dr. Jill Underly held a press conference at Conrad Elvehjem School in McFarland, in which she enumerated several of her initiatives for the 2025-2027 budget, including increasing the rate of special education reimbursement and expanding per-pupil adjustments to revenue limits. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:
“I salute and thank Superintendent Underly for her continued dedication to the comprehensive academic growth and well-being of Wisconsin’s children. I am especially grateful to Dr. Underly for her focus on increasing funding for special education programs; for too long, school districts across our state have had to make difficult decisions regarding special education, even needing to reallocate general funds in order to meet the needs of special education departments.
Let me be clear: every student in Wisconsin has the right to a quality public education, regardless of their ability or their individualized needs for support. It is our responsibility as legislators and as a state to ensure that each child in our public schools is able to fully exercise that right by learning and growing in schools that are appropriately supported and funded. As a former special education teacher for the Madison Metropolitan School District, I know firsthand the importance of this increase. I have been advocating for an increase to special education funding since I was sworn into the Legislature in 2019 as one of my top policy priorities.
We must continue to support our students, our families, and our districts by guaranteeing they have the necessary resources to provide excellent public instruction to every pupil who walks through those school doors. I appreciate Dr. Underly’s efforts to make this vision a reality by investing in our children’s education and future.”
