Study Finds Wisconsin Schools With Higher Poverty Rates Face Bigger Cuts

A new study Wisconsin finds that schools with higher poverty have experienced bigger budget cuts than more affluent school districts.

Scott Wittkopf is Chair at the progressive think tank the Forward Institute. He says the number of Wisconsin students in poverty has doubled since the recession in 2007.

“By contrast, at the same time that the poverty level was increasing, the inflation-adjusted state funding of public education has fallen to its lowest level in over 17 years. And as a result of the funding mechanism, it was disclosed that higher poverty schools saw per-pupil funding cuts that were over double the cuts of the most affluent in the state.”

Wittkopf says Wisconsin legislators are failing public schools by not providing adequate funding. The study also suggests that the state is not meeting its constitutional requirement to provide a uniform education to all students.

A funding plan by State Superintendent Tony Evers that would take poverty into account was not included in Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget. However, Republican lawmakers are promising to use a projected surplus to boost funding for K-12 public education.