Even the state’s Constitution
says we need funding reform

For years, WAES has worked for comprehensive, statewide school-funding reform. We know in our heart of hearts that it is the right thing to do for all of the children in the state.

We’ve watched for over a decade as staff has been laid off and class sizes have increased. Programs and services for our children have been cut, and communities have been divided by referendum that pit kids against taxpayers.

Most recently, state government passed a two-year budget that-for the first time in memory-actually reduced general aid to schools. All of a sudden, the problems of the past 10 years have become the crisis of 2009 and beyond. School boards throughout Wisconsin are being forced to reduce educational opportunities and increase property taxes.

How in the world could this happen in a state that prides itself on being progressive and on its educational system?

The answer for Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, young or old can be found in the Wisconsin Constitution. Article X. We don’t follow it.

First of all, it says that the Legislature’s job is to create school districts to provide quality education that is not only “as nearly uniform as practicable” but is “free and without charge” to all children.

Think of that in terms of what we know today. Think about the difference between what is offered to children in school districts in different parts of the state. Think about constantly increasing fees for a growing number of “services.” Think about the cuts to programs and services that are much harsher in some parts of Wisconsin than in others.

According to the non-partisan and highly respected Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the state’s job — under the Constitution — is to equalize educational opportunities for all children by reducing reliance of the property tax and making sure that quality education doesn’t depend on where you live and the capacity of any community to pay for that excellence.

The state has not done a good job fulfilling its constitutional obligation. As we know, the funding system has increased reliance on the property tax to educate children which, in turn, means more quality in some areas of the state than in others based on who can afford to pay for it.

For all of those reasons, we all need to keep working for change. Little else matters if our children’s education isn’t adequately and equitably funded. To find out what you can do, contact Tom Beebe (920-650-0525 or tbeebe@excellentschools.org).

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