GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – As Wisconsin lawmakers debate the state budget, school leaders in Green Bay are raising alarms over what they say is a growing gap in special education funding.
Green Bay Area Public School District officials say state reimbursements aren’t keeping up with the actual cost of services, forcing them to cut staff, close schools, and pull tens of millions from the general fund just to meet basic needs for students with disabilities.
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“We’ve done everything we possibly can,” said Superintendent Vicki Bayer. “We reduced our staff, we closed schools, we limited programming, we’ve ended contracts. We are at the point now where it would be impossible to make reductions without negatively impacting our students.”
The district had been counting on a 33% reimbursement from the state this year. Instead, it received 30% — a shortfall Bayer says amounts to nearly $1 million. She added that the district transfers about $35 million annually from its general education fund to cover special education expenses.
Advocates across the state are now urging the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to guarantee a 60% reimbursement rate for all special education costs, calling it a realistic and overdue fix.
Current state proposals focus primarily on high-cost reimbursements for students with the most severe needs. But Bayer argues that the model leaves out the vast majority of the state’s 127,000 students with disabilities.
“If the state of Wisconsin is going to continue to fund two educational systems, they should be treated the same,” Bayer said. “Right now, private and voucher schools receive 90% reimbursement for special education.”
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District leaders say they’re not just advocating for Green Bay, but for all public schools in Wisconsin, especially those preparing next year’s budgets with no guarantee of added support.
The Joint Finance Committee is expected to release a decision on education funding later today. Local 5 will provide an update when that becomes available.
