By: Will Flanders and Brooke Smith
July 30, 2026
As students prepare for the 2026-27 school year, DPI has finally released spending data for the 2024-25. While this continues a pattern of the DPI seemingly dragging it’s feet in releasing public school spending information, the data is still illuminating. Despite the continual refrain that public schools are “underfunded,” the data reveals—yet again—spending that is near all-time highs.
On average across the state, school district revenue is $18,746 per student. This represents an increase of about $154 per student from last year without adjusting for inflation. 150 districts have seen a per pupil funding decline from last year, while 270 have seen an increase. Though funding is slightly down by $404 from the 2023-24 school year after inflation adjustment. This 2.10% decline is fully explained by inflation, which was approximately 3% between August 2023 and August 2024. More pertinent than that is the long-term trend. The figure below shows revenue per student back to the 2006 school year—the earliest available on the DPI website after they removed older data earlier this year.
The high-water mark of spending in the state prior to Act 10 was the 2010-11 school year. In that year, schools had revenue of about $13,186 per pupil, or $19,013 adjusted for inflation. Revenue per student exceeded that threshold from 2020-23 and is within $154 of that level today.
While a noticeable decline in revenue did occur in the immediate aftermath of Act 10, over the years, that revenue decline was reversed. Within minor variations, spending is on par with the highest ever recorded in the state. Note that this is all after the implementation of Act 10 which saved school districts around the state billions of dollars thanks to reforms to collective bargaining laws. Those that claim that schools have been defunded are simply living in the past at this point.
This also seriously harms the contention that more spending is the key to solving what ails Wisconsin’s public schools. The figure below shows Wisconsin’s performance in fourth grade reading on the NAEP over the years.
The highest scores ever recorded in Wisconsin were during the years when spending was near it’s lowest. As spending has increased in recent years, proficiency has declined.
Further evidence that spending complaints ought to ring hollow is found in our choice and charter data. These schools receive thousands less in taxpayer funding per student. Private schools in the choice program are paid $11,305 in K-8 and $13,799 in high school per student. Independent charter schools receive $12,369 per student. Yet, in multiple analyses using both school and student level data, choice and charter students earn better results.
Some might say that the overall funding levels aren’t the problem, but rather the share of the total educational cost that is covered by local governments. Cries for two-thirds state funding of schools have been heard throughout the campaign, including at the recent Democratic debate. But that point is also moot because, according to the most recent information from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the state has met the two-thirds goal every year since 2020. The Figure below, borrowed from a WILL report from earlier this year, depicts the share of state aid according to LFB.
The latest revenue data should put to rest the notion that Wisconsin’s public schools have been starved of resources. Politicians making the claim that schools are underfunded ought to be asked a simple question: if the record-high spending isn’t enough, what exact number would be?
Instead of focusing on ever-higher spending, policymakers should prioritize the reforms that have consistently shown results: expanding high-quality educational options, rewarding effective schools, and ensuring that every education dollar is spent in ways that improve student learning. Wisconsin’s challenge is no longer a lack of funding—it is making better use of the substantial resources schools already have.
