Billions Spent, Fewer Students Learning: Wisconsin’s Public Schools Face Crisis in Output

Billions Spent, Fewer Students Learning: Wisconsin’s Public Schools Face Crisis in Output

A new data dashboard from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty paints a troubling picture: despite billions spent, fewer students are showing up, learning, or graduating ready.

Wisconsin’s public schools are facing a crisis of confidence. While state funding for K-12 education has reached historic highs, student outcomes in too many districts are falling behind—marked by chronic absenteeism, declining enrollment, low academic performance, and rising discipline issues.

In the 2023–24 school year, public schools in Wisconsin received a record $15.3 billion in revenue—an all-time high equivalent to $18,592 per student. This marks a doubling of per-pupil revenue since 2000, even after adjusting for inflation.

Yet despite this funding surge, a growing body of evidence suggests that many public districts are delivering less for more.

Academic Performance Flat Despite Investment

According to the latest School Scorecard Dashboard from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), math and reading proficiency rates remain low, with Milwaukee Public Schools reporting achievement rates under 25%. While statewide averages appear modestly improved, WILL attributes these gains to a Department of Public Instruction (DPI) change in how “proficiency” is defined, not actual gains in learning.

Absenteeism and Discipline Undermine Learning

One of the most troubling trends is chronic absenteeism. Nearly one in five students—17.4% statewide—missed 10% or more of the school year. In Milwaukee, that number soared to 47.5%. Beloit reported a 38.1% absentee rate.

School climate and safety are also deteriorating. Over 16,000 students were disciplined for “endangering behavior,” and more than 4,500 were disciplined for assault. Madison led the state in assaults, while Milwaukee had the highest incidents of endangering behavior.

Enrollment Collapsing in Districts Across the State

Enrollment in Wisconsin’s public schools has dropped more than 8% since 2015, with 298 of 422 districts seeing a decline. First-grade class sizes now trail far behind senior classes, indicating a demographic cliff that could jeopardize future funding and staffing levels. Waukesha’s first-grade enrollment is just 61% of its 12th-grade class. In Menomonee Falls, the ratio is 76%.

Meanwhile, families are voting with their feet. Since 2010, Wisconsin school choice enrollment has nearly tripled, while public school enrollment has sharply declined, and research from the UW-Madison Applied Population Laboratory suggests further declines.

What the Dashboard Shows

WILL’s newly revamped dashboard at KnowMySchoolWI.com allows parents and taxpayers to track enrollment, absenteeism, school violence, academic performance, and spending—district by district. New tools include:

An interactive map comparing proficiency and absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism trends since COVID-19
Grade-level enrollment tracking
Discipline incidents by district
Inflation-adjusted revenue data

WILL Research Director Dr. Will Flanders said, “This dashboard gives parents and taxpayers a transparent view of what’s happening in their districts—good and bad. Data must drive accountability.”

The Bottom Line

As Wisconsin public schools receive unprecedented funding, the gap between inputs and outcomes continues to widen. Lawmakers, school board members, and families now face hard questions: Where is the money going—and are students actually better off?

Source: Badger Institute