The future of public education, and rural public schools in particular, will be the subject of a public forum hosted by two state legislators, one Republican and one Democrat, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters of the Northwoods, on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 7-9 p.m. in the James William Middle School Auditorium in Rhinelander. Senator Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and Representative Mandy Wright (D-Wausau), in a bipartisan initiative, will share a presentation about public school funding and take questions at the forum. They are encouraging interested community members to attend, especially educators, students, and parents. “Recent state policy and budget actions are creating significant challenges for public schools, especially in rural areas,” said Schultz. “The forum will shed light on the impacts state policies portend for our schools.”
“Wisconsin enjoys a history as a national and global leader in public education, and the desire to see that continue is not a partisan issue,” said Wright. “Public schools are the bedrock of small communities, and it is beyond time to have a discussion about a funding model that treats all Wisconsin children equitably, regardless of their zip code.”
Public schools provide an education for 83 percent of Wisconsin children, and 43 percent of public school students are eligible for the free and reduced lunch program according to recent data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Both legislators said they consider public schools to be our most dependable and proven educational resource and are working to foster a growing consensus, and bipartisan legislative initiatives, to keep Wisconsin public schools strong.