Re-Elected Evers Wants More Money For Public Education

Newly re-elected State Superintendent Tony Evers says he will be working hard to make sure state legislators find more money for public education in the next budget. Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget for 2013-2015 freezes public education spending while expanding the voucher program for private schools.

Republican Senators Luther Olsen and Mike Ellis have floated a proposal to increase spending by $150 per student. It is not quite the $225 per pupil increase that Evers wants, but last night at his re-election party Evers said it was a step in the right direction.

“Hats off to both Senator Ellis and Senator Olsen and others from the senate side that seem to be saying ‘You know, we can’t be taking away money or having it be zero-increase for public schools and $1,400 per pupil increase for voucher schools.’ So, I think there’s some common sense that’s starting to roll through the legislature.”

Republicans are also reportedly negotiating an alternative to Walker’s proposed voucher expansion, which Ellis and Olsen have said they will not support without a local referendum first. Republican Representative Dean Kaufert says he will soon introduce a bill that would offer tax credits to parents of students in private schools, instead of expanding vouchers.