Wisconsin Education NewsMay 18, 2026A daily update of education news and events that are taking place around Wisconsin. GBAPS and 4 other districts weigh in on rejected special education funding GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Five Wisconsin school districts released a joint letter urging state lawmakers to reconsider a bipartisan deal which would, among other policies, provide $617 million in additional special education funding to school districts across the state. The districts include the Green Bay Area Public School District, Milwaukee Public Schools, the Racine Unified School District, the Madison Metropolitan School District, and the Kenosha Unified School District. Madison schools expand full-day 4K after pilot program sees 35% enrollment jump MADISON (WKOW) — More families in the Madison Metropolitan School District will have access to expanded full-day 4K programming beginning next school year as the district responds to growing community demand. District leaders announced the expansion after a successful pilot program at Olson Elementary School during the current school year. The response from families exceeded expectations, prompting the expanded programming across multiple schools and community partner sites, according to district officials. Mishicot High School celebrating sports, arts projects MISHICOT (WLUK) -- Lots of construction work is coming to Mishicot High School. The school held a ribbon cutting for its newly completed baseball and softball facilities and press boxes. It also held a ground breaking for the upcoming performing arts center and commons. Mishicot students constructed the baseball and softball press boxes during a specialty math and technical education class. The class meets Wisconsin's math geometry standards while also teaching construction skills. Amery board approves new hires, reassignments, resignations The Amery School Board on Tuesday approved a slate of personnel actions that includes eight new employment contracts, nine staff reassignments and seven resignations. New contracts were approved for Tania Breezley and Kayla Frankson as Clubhouse assistant teachers, Anna Ganje as a long-term substitute math teacher, Erin Hiller as an art teacher, Jeffrey Johnson as a custodian, Grace King as a special education teacher, Heather Miller as district nurse and Jennifer Rhea as a Clubhouse lead teacher. Wisconsin’s special education funding system is broken – and the compromise proposed by Governor Evers and Republican leadership represented meaningful progress. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to return to the table to address the continued underfunding of special education. Failure to approve a bipartisan plan will result in real harm, not just for students with disabilities, but for all public school students statewide. For many school districts, it will be the difference in maintaining student programming and retaining highly qualified staff next school year. However, even if additional special education funding is approved, many districts will still face significant budget deficits and continued financial strain. Wisconsin school districts put cellphone bans to the test There’s some new lingo at Middleton High School: Get caught using your phone during class and you might get “green-slipped.” “It’s kind of a running joke among students and staff,” Principal Bobbie Reinhart told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “The green slip is not meant to be a punitive action,” he continued. “It’s meant to be a reminder that, ‘Hey, in this building during learning time, we don’t use cellphones.’” Former Waukesha teacher rings historic bell before school closes WAUKESHA, Wis. - A bell-ringing tradition that dates back generations at Bethesda Elementary in Waukesha will soon come to an end when the school permanently closes after this school year. What we know: Former third grade teacher Joan Dehnel returned to Bethesda on Thursday to ring the school’s historic bell for her 92nd birthday. Her great-granddaughter, Ella Sanfilippo, who shares her birthday, turned 13 the same day. School District of Lodi plants 2,000 trees in Earth Week initiative LODI, Wis. — The School District of Lodi is expanding its environmental commitment through a massive tree-planting initiative that brought together students, teachers and community members during Earth Week last month. Students from 4K through high school helped plant 2,000 trees in just one week in the district's 40-acre school forest, demonstrating the community's dedication to sustainability education. The Evers-GOP surplus deal is dead. Could it be revived? It took months for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders to negotiate a bipartisan deal to direct part of the state’s surplus to taxpayers and schools, but it was dead in a matter of 59 hours. The deal, which Evers announced with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on May 11, would have sent stimulus checks to residents, increased the state’s special education reimbursement rate for school districts, added money to the school general aid fund, and eliminated state income taxes on tips and overtime. MPSD Celebrating Hmong American Day For Two Days The Manitowoc Public School District is recognizing Hmong American Day today (May 14th). Throughout the day, Manitowoc Lincoln High School’s Hmong Dance Team will travel to elementary schools across the district, performing traditional dances and helping younger students see their culture represented and celebrated within their schools. Woodworth students to attend Marian University through school year UPDATE #2: School officials tell NBC 26 that Woodworth Middle School students will attend classes at Marian University for the rest of the school year after a fire damaged the middle school building. Early Wednesday, a fire broke out at Woodworth Middle School in Fond du Lac, causing significant damage to a kiln room before crews brought it under control, firefighters said. Southern Door Tightens Budget with Teacher Cuts and Pay Freeze Following Failed Referendum Since December of last year, the Southern Door School District has communicated to community members that failure to pass an operational referendum in the April election would result in cuts. Voters rejected that ballot question, and the Southern Door School District announced last week it would eliminate nine full-time teaching positions, one part-time school psychologist, five associates and a contracted nurse. The Wisconsin Association of School Boards expresses deep disappointment in last night’s state Senate vote to defeat 2026 May Special Session Assembly Bill 1 — a bipartisan agreement that would have directed state surplus funds toward our public schools and delivered property tax relief to Wisconsin families. Watertown Board Cites ‘Indoctrination’ In Ban On LGBTQ+ Themed Music Watertown High School band students won’t be allowed to perform an instrumental piece of music tied to LGBTQ+ history at their spring concert. The Watertown school board voted 7-1 to remove “A Mother of A Revolution!” from the May 18 program, saying the piece violated the district’s controversial issues policy. Students in the Watertown Wind Symphony have been practicing the piece all school year. Board President Laurie Hoffmann voted against removing the music. Third graders from SDR, Nativity and Zion take part in annual event On a day made for recreation, with a bright blue sky and a hint of summer warmth in the air, some 200 Rhinelander area third-graders took to the grounds of the YMCA of the Northwoods for the 8th annual Recreation Rodeo on May 8. Grant will help Madison College prepare rural residents to become teachers A new grant is aimed at getting rural Wisconsinites into teaching jobs, as rural school districts face challenges getting trained educators into their classrooms. Just about half of the students in Wisconsin’s K-12 schools are in rural districts, and getting teachers into classrooms can be a challenge, especially in areas of aging or declining population. But educators say the real challenge isn’t training, it’s keeping teachers in their communities. Nearly 3,000 students from Milwaukee Public Schools transformed the Baird Center into an international celebration during the 11th annual UNSIL MPS World Fair. Students from 18 schools represented different United Nations member countries through colorful displays, cultural presentations, music, and performances — showcasing the diversity found throughout Milwaukee classrooms. Oshkosh North students unveil improvements at Winnebago County dog park OSHKOSH (WLUK) -- Four Oshkosh North High School students are making a difference for Winnebago County dogs and their owners. Ella Seeley, Abby Dutscheck, Cooper Snell, and Phanique Thompson hosted a ribbon cutting at the Winnebago County Best Friends Dog Park to unveil the upgrades they brought to the park. The group worked with the Winnebago County Parks Department to add a picnic table, three new trees, and an A-frame ramp to the park. Thursday's unveiling comes a day after another group in the Communities program gave away 30 bikes to Read Elementary School students. Third and fourth graders sprint, swing and spin in Menasha's all-city wellness meet MENASHA (WLUK) -- A day of health and wellness for Menasha students marked a milestone Thursday. The 50th annual Menasha All City Grade School Track and Field Wellness Day returned to Calder Stadium. Third and fourth grade students from private and public schools in Menasha participated in traditional track events and other not-so traditional activities, like hula hoop endurance, jump jog and golf chip. Madison school superintendent voices concerns after state's $1.8 billion tax deal fail MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -Madison Metropolitan School District’s superintendent is sharing his concerns for the future of public schools in Wisconsin after the state’s legislature rejected Gov. Tony Evers’ bipartisan tax deal. The $1.8 billion deal would have sent rebate checks to Wisconsin residents and provided investments in Wisconsin public schools. Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard says this is a missed opportunity for students and taxpayers. He said the deal would have meant immediate relief for districts and without it, schools are now left trying to plan for next year with more uncertainty. WATERTOWN — Nearly 60 students at Riverside Middle School in Watertown walked out of class Friday morning to protest the school board's decision to ban an instrumental piece connected to LGBTQ+ history from an upcoming spring concert. The walkout came just days after hundreds of Watertown High School students staged their own protest Wednesday over the same issue. Local school leader reacts to budget deal failing EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Local school leaders are calling on state lawmakers to get back to negotiations, saying public schools cannot wait any longer for relief. The latest plan for school funding has fallen apart. A $1.8 billion budget deal died in the Wisconsin senate earlier this week. MILWAUKEE — A political blame game continues in Madison after a $1.8 billion compromise to cut taxes and fund special education fell apart this week. The deal was widely seen as more of a band-aid than a sustainable solution for the state’s public schools. Back in February, five school districts filed a lawsuit against the legislature over a lack of adequate funding. This week, lawmakers tried and failed to make a nearly $600 million investment in education; however, that would not have gotten districts to drop the case, according to one of the top attorneys leading the lawsuit. “It doesn't solve the long-term structural problems with the school finance system in Wisconsin, and that's what this lawsuit is about,” Jeff Mandell with Law Forward told Spectrum News on Tuesday before any votes were taken. MPSD Moving Alternative Learning Programs to UWGB Manitowoc Campus The Manitowoc Public School District is moving its alternative programming. The school board unanimously approved a contract Tuesday (May 12th) to lease space at Hillside Hall at the UW-Green Bay Manitowoc campus for three years at $100,000. Handcrafted cup sleeves by Green Bay students turn coffee runs into smiles GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Artwork created by students is sparking a ripple of kindness in Green Bay. The Green Bay Area Public School District partnered with downtown Kavarna Coffeehouse to launch the Cup of Kindness Project Friday. It's a new initiative celebrating student creativity, community connection, and the power of simple acts of kindness. Auditors give Amery district clean opinion Independent auditors issued the Amery School District a clean financial opinion for the year ended June 30, 2025, though the report identified three material weaknesses in internal controls that board members said have since been addressed. CliftonLarsonAllen LLP of Hudson completed the audit and signed off on the financial statements Feb. 23, 2026, later than the typical timeline. MADISON, WI — The Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators is pleased to announce that two Wisconsin superintendents have been elected to serve on the Governing Board of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Dr. Tremayne Clardy, superintendent of the Verona Area School District, and Dr. Amy Starzecki, superintendent of the School District of Superior, were selected through a membership-wide vote in April. They will each serve three-year terms beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2029. Middle school students in Kaukauna gets hands‑on with food production For Nick Mees, science class at Riverview Middle School just got a lot greener. The Kaukauna teacher, who works with seventh‑ and eighth‑grade students, recently learned his classroom had been selected to receive a $5,000 EdRack hydroponic growing system—an unexpected win that is already changing how his students learn about food and science. Lakeshore College is proud to announce the launch of “Lenny’s Leap,” a new dual enrollment initiative designed to help high school students earn college credit while still completing their high school education. The program creates flexible, student-centered pathways that prepare learners for college, careers, and future success. WATERTOWN — The Watertown School Board is defending its decision to remove a song from a high school concert, citing the district's controversial issues policy and calling the song that was banned a "celebration of violence." The board voted to ban "A Mother of a Revolution," a piece inspired by a transgender woman during the 1960s LGBTQ movement. The song, performed by the Watertown High School Wind Symphony, has no lyrics. In a statement, Watertown Unified School District Board President Laurie Hoffman said the full board examined the situation to determine whether any violation of policy had occurred. Rhinelander High School HOSA club holds fourth annual color run RHINELANDER, Wis. (WJFW) – For three years, Health Occupations Students Of America (HOSA) at Rhinelander High School leads an effort to help students in the School District of Rhinelander that are in need of financial help for medical problems. They do this by raising money during the Color Run. Two runs were held; one is only a mile and usually for kids. There is a longer 5k lap later in the morning on May 16. The run went through town before coming back to the starting line at the Hodag Dome. Madison's literacy and leadership program returns this summer MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Metropolitan School District’s Freedom Schools Program—which provides students a learning experience centered on literacy, leadership, cultural exploration, and social-emotional growth—is returning this summer. This program serves current students in third, fourth, and fifth grades and runs from mid-June through the end of July. It will be held at Lori Mann Carey Elementary School. Waterloo school board approves money for new band instruments WATERLOO — An earlier than expected reimbursement for the new agricultural building construction has allowed the Waterloo school board to purchase new band instruments for students to rent. Superintendent Brian Henning said at the May 13 board meeting that he recommended the board invest in the band program, as many of the instruments are growing old. He said the cost to replace about a third of the school’s instruments would be $91,000. “We haven’t purchased instruments in a very long time here,” Henning said. “There’s a huge need.”
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