Take action now for $200 million: A message from WASBO and the SAA Legislative Committee
By WASBO Executive Director Mike Barry • Published February 11, 2026
Please read the following time-sensitive statement from the WASBO (SAA) Legislative Committee regarding some key steps you can take now to help secure critical funding for Wisconsin students in the last week of the legislative session. As always, please reach out to me or WASBO's Research Director Anne Chapman ([email protected]) with any questions.
Colleagues,
As you may be aware, we are closing in on the final week for the 2025-26 state legislature. Last evening, it was reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wispolitics that Speaker Vos and Governor Evers have been negotiating on a potential bipartisan agreement that would increase funding for special education by $200 million (above what was approved in the 2025-27 state budget) that would be enough to ensure school districts receive the 42% (2025-26) and 45% (2026-27) reimbursement levels that were promised in the 2025-27 state budget.
The WASBO Legislative Committee met this morning to review the current state of negotiations and to confirm a couple of key action steps that we ask districts across the state to take:
#1: Communicate with your school boards and legislators about the impact that $200 million could have on your budgets. We are entering "budgeting season" for 2026-27, and many of us are facing reductions as a result of special education funding that has not kept up with the 42% and 45%. Investing one hour in connecting with elected representatives could help us get this across the finish line. What difference would a full special education reimbursement at 45% in 2026-27 make for your districts? Without that full reimbursement, what budget reductions would your district otherwise be forced to make next year?
#2: Take action now: Unlike many DPI, SAA, or WASBO legislative priorities that are generated throughout the year that take time to gain traction, we have confirmation that our request for $200 million to "fully fund" special education at 42%/45% is a top priority for the Governor and is being actively discussed with the Speaker of the State Assembly. Through your efforts, we have reestablished spendable money for kids as the top priority for WASBO, SAA, AWSA, WASB, and other partner organizations.
#3: Ask for a sum sufficient appropriation: The $200 million is enough to guarantee a full 42%/45% reimbursement in 2025-26 and 2026-27, but a sum sufficient appropriation would assure that we do not need to budget defensively in the future.
Predictable funding (both with the $325 per pupil increase and with 45% special education) is vital to our ability as school leaders to make good long-term decisions.
Dee Pettack (SAA) sent a communication to you earlier today with some more specifics. Please review this information, and then take action for the benefit of all kids. We know your time is valuable, but investing an hour in the next few days is vital to give us the best chance of securing new revenue now (as compared to the 2027-29 state budget process in 2027) that can meet our immediate needs to best serve every student in 2025-26.
Thanks for your collaboration and partnership.
WASBO (SAA) Legislative Committee