As Gov. Tony Evers seeks billions for education, some administrators are proposing to close schools within their districts amid ongoing challenges with declining enrollment and state aid.
Evers is proposing $2.6 billion in state funding for K-12 schools, calling it the largest investment in per-pupil aid in more than 25 years. The proposal is $1 billion more than what Evers sought under the last budget, which Republican lawmakers scaled back by roughly $800 million. GOP legislative leaders have already indicated they plan to toss out much of Evers’ plans and write their own budget from scratch.
As Evers unveils his plan, the Wausau School Board voted 7-2 this week in favor of a proposal to restructure the school district. The plan would close five of the district’s 13 elementary schools. The proposal would also merge its two high schools into a junior and senior high campus, as well as reconfigure the district’s middle schools to grades 5 through 7 by fall of 2025.
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