Wisconsin Education NewsApril 13, 2026A daily update of education news and events that are taking place around Wisconsin. Register for the Creating a Culture of Excellence for All Conference The conference will highlight the leadership practices essential to building continuous improvement at the school and district levels and will feature sessions by Wisconsin school and district exemplars (June 25-26, 2026, in Madison). View the program here. MPSD Responds to Recent Student Walk Out The Manitowoc Public School District’s Superintendent has responded to the recent walk out by students at Manitowoc Lincoln High School. Lincoln Student Paige Hinz organized the walk out, which was a protest of ICE activity. Eau Claire School Board discusses proposed solar panel donation Eau Claire (WQOW) - On Monday night's agenda, the school board is slated to vote on a proposed solar panel donation to Memorial and North high schools. In November, a community group called Solar Panels on Eau Claire Schools offered to donate about 360 solar panels to the district. MAZOMANIE, Wis. (WMTV) - An extraordinary “Gift of Life” was celebrated Friday at the Wisconsin Heights School District, where students and staff held a surprise assembly honoring two educators at the center of a powerful act of compassion. One teacher, Kim Houser, is in need of a kidney transplant. In an incredible act of selflessness, fellow staff member Jayme O’Connell stepped forward and was found to be a perfect match. La Crosse school district addresses concerns about lunch shortages LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The School District of La Crosse is addressing concerns about school lunch shortages after a Facebook post Wednesday claimed Logan High School was running out of food and milk. According to Superintendent Aaron Engel, the school experienced a milk shortage Wednesday due to a late delivery from their supplier. $600K grant expands school-based mental health support across Wisconsin MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A statewide effort to improve student mental health services is expanding, backed by a new $600,000 commitment aimed at helping schools address growing demand and limited resources. The funding, from the Roots & Wings Foundation, will support a school-based mental health initiative led by the WEA Member Benefits Foundation. The program works with districts to expand access to counseling and other behavioral health services for K-12 students. At Hudson School Board meeting, a discussion on AI Hudson School Board members heard a presentation on artificial intelligence in a board work session as they discussed their concerns about the technology as AI has grown more prominent in everyday life. University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Richard Halverson, who serves as the Kellner Family Distinguished Chair of Urban Education in UW-Madison’s School of Education, spoke with board members about the double-edged sword effect of AI. On one hand, it can lead to increased productivity. On the other, Halverson referenced a study showing the “cognitive debt” that affects students who start their writing process with AI as opposed to composing their thoughts beforehand. West De Pere principal named Wisconsin high school principal of the year DE PERE, Wis. (WBAY) - A principal at a high school in northeast Wisconsin has been named the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators’ 2026 Wisconsin high school principal of the year. Dr. Russ Gerke, principal of West De Pere High School, thought it was a normal Friday until he was welcomed inside the gym with a standing ovation from the entire school and his family. WILL files federal Title IX lawsuit against New Richmond school policy (The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of New Richmond Parents for Good Schools over the school district’s policy on gender identity and the use of bathrooms at the school. “The policy has resulted in at least one male being frequently present in the girls’ bathrooms with girls, causing anxiety, stress, and an invasion of personal privacy for the girls,” WILL wrote in a description of the lawsuit. 4-10-26 fdl school officials planning next steps following failed referendum Fond du Lac School District officials are planning the next steps after voters last week rejected an operational referendum for a second year in a row. Razor-Thin Wins, Costly Losses In Wisconsin’s 75 School Referendums More than 60 percent of school districts looking for additional local support from taxpayers won approval of ballot measures this week. But in an election that saw a landslide victory for the liberal-leaning candidate in the state Supreme Court race, many of the 75 school referendums on the ballot Tuesday were decided by close margins. MADISON — The Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA) has named Dr. Russ Gerke as the 2026 High School Principal of the Year. Dr. Gerke serves as principal of West De Pere High School in the School District of West De Pere. With more than two decades of leadership at the school, he has built a strong culture of collaboration, high expectations, and continuous improvement that has driven sustained student success. AWSA Names McFarland’s Jamie Thomas Wisconsin Middle School Principal of the Year The Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA) has named McFarland's Jamie Thomas as the 2026 Middle School Principal of the Year. Thomas serves as principal of Indian Mound Middle School in the McFarland School District. According to a press release announcing the award, Thomas has focused on building a school culture rooted in belonging, equity, and continuous improvement, ensuring every student feels seen, supported, and challenged to succeed. Athens school receives statewide award for sustainability MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) - Maple Grove Charter School, part of the Athens School District, is one of two schools in the state to receive the Department of Public Instruction’s 2026 Stewardship and Sustainability Award for their leadership in creating a green and health learning environment. The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District is this year’s other recipient. Local School Districts Receive Tools Donation From Chippewa Valley Homebuilder's Foundation (WEAU, WEAU Staff) Wednesday night in the Chippewa Valley, a local nonprofit supported students going into the skilled trades and they did it with massive donations to local tech ed programs. Voters say ‘No’ to boosting budget for Monroe schools MONROE — The Spring election saw four of five local school district referendums pass, with many new faces claiming positions of mayors, alderpersons, county board supervisors and school board members. The state also overwhelmingly elected liberal Chris Taylor (60.1%) to the State Supreme Court over conservative judge Maria Lazar (39.8%). Green County had a total of 12,798 voters cast a ballot, with a participation rate that ranked among the tops in the state. Much of the reason could be attributed to local school districts heading to referenda. Referendums pass in Appleton and Menasha. What happens next? In an election where about a third of school referendums failed statewide, voters in Appleton and Menasha approved referendums April 7, according to unofficial vote totals. The votes will not become official until they are canvassed. Two-thirds of the vote in Appleton supported that district's $60 million referendum, while Menasha's $36 million referendum passed by fewer than 300 votes. After the election, both districts' leadership thanked their communities in social media posts and in statements to the Appleton Post-Crescent. Chippewa Valley students with disabilities celebrated at Born to Shine Prom 2026 EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - For their fifth year, Born to Shine hosts their prom for special needs students in the Chippewa Valley. Hosted at The Crescent in the Eau Claire Event District, attendees donned their finest suits and dresses to experience the grand march, and a dance featuring superheroes and princesses. Whitefish Bay School District back to square one after $135.6M referendum fails WHITEFISH BAY, Wis. — The Whitefish Bay School District is starting over after its $135.6 million facilities referendum failed on Election Day in a close vote of 52% to 48%. Madison schools ‘new approach’ to tutoring still has skeptics The Madison school district will partner with a University of Wisconsin-Madison center to train college students as volunteer tutors after a long-standing program ends this year. As a result of steep federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, the AmeriCorps program Schools of Hope will shut down after more than two decades of placing literacy tutors in Madison schools, the Cap Times first reported in February. Achievement Connections, another AmeriCorps program providing math tutoring in Madison schools, will also end. Most WI school referendums passed in April election, but support wanes Voters in Wisconsin approved a majority of school referendums on April 7 ballots, agreeing to raise property taxes to fund local school districts. But early results suggest it’s getting harder for districts to gain voter approval of the money they say is needed to run schools, said Sara Shaw, a Wisconsin Policy Forum researcher. The nonpartisan organization expects to release a fuller analysis of the statewide referendum results this month. Racine County high school wins legal fight for 80 acres of farmland Daniel Riedel bought 116 acres of farmland in the village of Union Grove over 20 years ago. Riedel, 73, said his goal was to keep the land until his sons were old enough to develop it. The property is directly next to Union Grove Union High School. However, a judge recently ruled the school district can take possession of 80 acres of the property through eminent domain after the district makes a payment of $2.4 million.
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