ANALYSIS: “Underfunded” Wisconsin Schools Have Near-Record Funding—Again
Will Flanders and Brooke Smith:
As students prepare for the 2026-27 school year, DPI has finally released spending data for the 2024-25. While this continues a pattern of the DPI seemingly dragging it’s feet in releasing public school spending information, the data is still illuminating. Despite the continual refrain that public schools are “underfunded,” the data reveals—yet again—spending that is near all-time highs.
On average across the state, school district revenue is $18,859 per student. This represents an increase of about $267 per student from last year without adjusting for inflation. 150 districts have seen a per pupil funding decline from last year, while 270 have seen an increase. Though funding is slightly down by $203 from the 2023-24 school year after inflation adjustment. This 1.06% decline is fully explained by inflation, which was approximately 3% between August 2023 and August 2024. More pertinent than that is the long-term trend. The figure below shows revenue per student back to the 2006 school year—the earliest available on the DPI website after they removed older data earlier this year.
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2026-2027 Madison K-12 $pending continues to grow, fueled by a 9.7% (!) property tax increase. Total spending will be at least $706,000,000 for 25,003 students, or $28,236 per student.
May 2026 Madison School District Presentation: 7,095 adults for 25,003 students (3.52 students per adult!)
Early Literacy Screener Map.
Map: Foundations of Reading Results: 2015–2024
Where have all the students gone?
3,887 Madison 4 year old to third grade students scored lower than 75% of the students in the national comparison group.
Madison taxpayers have long supported far above average k-12 tax & $pending. This despite our long term, disastrous reading results. May, 2026: 7,095 Staff for 25,003 students; $pending > $26k per student!
Madison Schools: More $, No Accountability
The taxpayer funded Madison School District long used Reading Recovery…
The data clearly indicate that being able to read is not a requirement for graduation at (Madison) East, especially if you are black or Hispanic.
My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results
2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results
Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results.
“An emphasis on adult employment”
Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF]
WEAC: $1.57 million for Four Wisconsin Senators
Friday Afternoon Veto: Governor Evers Rejects AB446/SB454; an effort to address our long term, disastrous reading results
Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of Dred Scott in the age of mass incarceration.
When A Stands for Average: Students at the UW-Madison School of Education Receive Sky-High Grades. How Smart is That?
