Wisconsin Education NewsJune 25, 2026A daily update of education news and events that are taking place around Wisconsin. Is Your School’s PLC Fueling Student Growth? The Leading Professional Learning Communities academy will help you build or advance collaborative learning teams in your school or district. Equip yourself, or better yet, a team, to sustain a professional learning community that ensures high levels of student learning and engagement. The academy is designed to help you through unique challenges and will target areas such as leadership, assessment, collaboration and more. Specific areas that will also be addressed in the academy include growing team capacity to have hard conversations, analyzing student work, and protocols for addressing improvement areas identified and informed by data. Shell Lake School Board still finalizing next year's budget SHELL LAKE — Shell Lake School District Supt. Todd Felhofer gave a brief update on the 2026-27 budget at the School Board meeting Monday, June 15. At the last meeting, Felhofer said a budget surplus is expected due to the operational referendum passed in April, which was to exceed the state revenue limit by $650,000 annually over four years, non-recurring, to help with operational expenses, and the budget was looking good. At last Monday’s meeting, Felhofer said they are still in the early stages of the budget and will be fine-tuning it over the summer. He said there are some support staff positions that will be posted in July. New state DPI literacy director says Act 20 is just the beginning Kaylee Jackson fondly recalls tutoring neighborhood kids using Hooked on Phonics, the popular 1990s educational program that promised to teach children how to read. As the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's new director of literacy, Jackson will now oversee the improvement of literacy outcomes for students statewide. A key part of the job is helping districts implement the 2023 literacy law Act 20, which overhauls early literacy instruction for the state's youngest learners. Oshkosh school district weighs budget cuts OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education met as Superintendent Bryan Davis presented a budget report update addressing a >$4 million deficit. Following a previous reduction of 65 positions, the report assures no current staff will be cut in the coming year. According to the report, cost reductions that do not affect students are possible. Davis visualized the budgeting options in his report using an "if this, then that" matrix. Beloit schools to close Cunningham for 2026-2027, move Beloit Learning Academy to high school BELOIT — Merrill Elementary School was spared the axe on Tuesday night, but the Cunningham School building will be closed for the 2026-2027 school year and the School District of Beloit is going to sell the Kolak Education Center. Cunningham was part of a reconfiguration of school buildings a few years ago and has not been used as an elementary school in recent years. It has been used for the Beloit Learning Academy and other uses. The Kolak Education Center has been the school administration headquarters. Appleton Safety and Licensing Committee looking at AASD truancy ordinance after trial period APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) - The city of Appleton’s Safety and Licensing Committee is having another look at its truancy ordinance on Wednesday night. The city council approved a trial period for the ordinance through the end of the 2025-26 school year back in November. The Appleton Area School District is expected to present its attendance data to the committee. Munson presents preliminary budget numbers to WUSD board WATERTOWN — Watertown Unified School District Business Director Beth Munson told the Watertown Unified School District Board of Education to expect a decline of 87 full-time students. She said while the aid for each student will remain at $742, property values in the WUSD community are estimated to increase more than the state average. Property values at WUSD are estimated to increase by 9% overall. Statewide property values are expected to jump by 6-7%. Operation Inherent Resolve flag presented to school district WATERTOWN — While Watertown Unified School District Board of Education member Tammy Fournier held the U.S. Flag, the board president read a statement on behalf of Watertown High School Counselor Matthew Dunn: “This flag was flown over Iraq and Syria during combat support missions conducted in 2024 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. It is respectfully presented to the Watertown Unified School District in sincere appreciation for the support extended to me during my deployment to Iraq from April 2024 through March 2025,” Hoffmann read. WIAA approves limited use of shot clock, full implementation to go before membership vote STEVENS POINT — The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control approved limited use of the shot clock in basketball in 2026-27 and acted on other recommendations from the Winter Coaches Advisory Committees affecting season regulations and membership policies at its meeting June 23. Starting next season, schools will be permitted to use a 35-second shot clock for nonconference varsity boys and girls basketball games if there is mutual agreement between the teams, as permitted by NFHS rule adaptations. The Board also discussed full implementation of the clock in 2028-29, which would require approval by the membership at the annual meeting in April. DPI, DFI Launch Financial Literacy Grant Program MADISON – Wisconsin schools and community-based organizations can apply for new grants aimed at expanding personal financial literacy education. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions announced a $300,000 competitive grant program for financial literacy instruction statewide. Public and private schools, community-based organizations and consortia may apply for Personal Financial Literacy Innovation Grants of up to $7,500.
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