A group of Wisconsin school districts, labor unions, and parents filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin state legislature and its Joint Finance Committee on February 23, 2026, asking the court to create a new school finance system that guarantees students will receive a “sound basic education” as required by the Wisconsin State Constitution. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the current school finance system and compel the Legislature to implement a new funding system that ensures equitable and adequate funding for all Wisconsin public school students.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the state’s school funding formula when it was last challenged in 2000 (Vincent v. Voight, 2000 WI 93), but the situation has grown more financially dire since then. State funding for public schools in Wisconsin has decreased over 9% since 2002, with a higher percentage of revenue being paid through local property taxes and federal funding. In response, public school districts are cutting programs, increasing class sizes, delaying curriculum updates, and struggling to hire and retain qualified staff. Significant funding disparities exist that disproportionately affect students who are economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and English learners.

“Education is the grand insurance policy of our liberties.”

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