Underly urges lawmakers to invest in public schools

As Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance reviews the 2025-27 Biennial Budget on Thursday, State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly is urging lawmakers to invest in public schools. Underly emphasized the need for reliable funding for local schools, which have been forced to rely on referendums to maintain operations. She proposed increasing special education reimbursement rates, restoring revenue limit indexing, and expanding mental health supports. She also called for universal access to healthy school meals and measures to recruit quality educators. Despite not being invited to testify before the committee, Underly shared a video message highlighting the funding needs of Wisconsin’s public schools.