Wisconsin schools, teachers file lawsuit against Legislature seeking more money
Associated Press News • • nation
Key Points:
- A coalition of Wisconsin school districts, teachers’ unions, advocacy groups, parents, and students filed a lawsuit against the state Legislature, alleging inadequate funding for public schools, especially affecting high-needs students.
- The lawsuit, filed in Eau Claire County Circuit Court, seeks a new school finance system to meet district needs unless the Legislature and governor enact one promptly, challenging the existing system upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2000.
- Wisconsin’s school funding has declined from the state covering two-thirds of education costs in 2003 to about half now, forcing districts to raise property taxes, with a record 241 school funding referendums in 2024.
- The lawsuit claims that inadequate funding has contributed to declining student test scores and persistent
