Evers' Veto Locks in Teacher Funding Boost Through 2425

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers last week invoked his expansive line-item veto authority to enshrine $325 annual per-pupil funding increases for public schools, extending them from the original 2024-25 school years through 2425 — over 400 years into the future. By striking '20' and the hyphen from '2024-25' in the 2023-25 state budget, Evers transformed a two-year provision into a perpetual guarantee, delivering nearly $1.4 billion in new K-12 spendable revenue. The maneuver, detailed in Evers' veto message for 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, aims to shield districts from revenue limit freezes that have forced referendums in places like Milwaukee Public Schools.

The budget boosts come as Wisconsin grapples with teacher shortages and stagnant pay under Act 10, the 2011 law that capped raises at inflation — currently 2.63% — and ended most collective bargaining. In Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association remains deadlocked with the district over timing a 2.63% cost-of-living raise, with the union pushing for a July 2026 start and MPS proposing January 2027. Evers, a former state superintendent, has positioned himself as the 'Education Governor,' prioritizing public schools after Act 10's union cuts spurred protests and test score gains but squeezed salaries.

While the funding extension drew bipartisan budget support initially, Republicans now eye limits on Evers' veto power via LRB-0312, and a Supreme Court challenge looms over the 400-year provision. The Wisconsin Education Association Council warns eliminating the $325 adjustment in SB 389 from 2027-28 would reverse gains. Educators report classroom disruptions exacerbate shortages, with nearly half saying conduct rules are rarely enforced, though Evers recently vetoed a bipartisan 'Teacher Bill of Rights' (AB 614/SB 611) for stronger discipline tools. The funding lifeline offers relief to districts statewide, from rural WEAC strongholds to urban MPS, amid ongoing debates over pay and safety.