Wisconsin Education News

June 4, 2025

A 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 26-27, 2025, in Green Bay). View the program here.

Wisconsin shop teachers overhaul curriculums, encourage students to consider trades

Technical education teachers at Wisconsin high schools are transforming shop class — and encouraging more students to consider careers in the trades. Right now, Americans are questioning the value of higher education, especially with the rising cost of education and burden of student debt.

Street vacation supported near Hogan building, as La Crosse prepares for new school

The headquarters of the La Crosse school district could be the site of a brand new school within a couple of years, and the city of La Crosse is helping the project along.

Wausau School District, families say goodbye to another beloved school

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Nearly 40 years after they first opened, the doors are now closed on Hawthorn Hills Elementary School in Wausau. It’s one of four elementary schools to close down as part of the Wausau School District’s consolidation.

New policy really isn’t that new to district

A new policy is up for approval at the Cornell School District, as legislature is requiring schools to pass students from fourth grade to fifth. That’s nothing new for Cornell, as they evaluate each student in each grade, to see if they’re ready to move on.

Lake Holcombe School Board - Stop at the gas pump, help out sports

Next time you stop at the Holcombe gas station, you may notice an addition at the gas pump. It was reported May 19, at the Lake Holcombe School Board meeting, that River Country Co-op is installing a Spirit Pump. Every time a customer uses that pump, 2 cents, per each gallon of gas sold, will be directed toward the school’s athletic program. The district will recieve the funds quarterly.

Dane County School Consortium set to dissolve at end of month

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -The Dane County School Consortium (DCSC) is closing its doors at the end of June. The organization partners with 16 different districts in the county to offer youth apprenticeships.

Moody's downgrades School District of Beloit's credit rating

BELOIT — The School District of Beloit’s failed operational referendum in April means borrowing money will get more expensive, at least in the short term. On May 21, Moody’s Ratings downgraded Beloit schools’ credit rating to A2 from A1.

Waunakee School District looks to reach new state report card goal by 2029

Can all six schools in the Waunakee Community School district achieve a score of significantly exceeds expectations on the state report card by 2029? That’s the ambitious academic goal set forth by Superintendent Monica Kelsey-Brown and approved by the curriculum committee on Tuesday, thereby sending it to the full school board for its consideration at its June meeting.

Debate on 'decoupling' Wisconsin school choice, public school funding continues

(The Center Square) – Separating the funding for Wisconsin’s school choice program from the state’s public school funding formula could either be a smart fix to simplify funding Wisconsin’s school choice program or it could lead to a large cost increase on the state budget.

State officials will suspend MPS funding again over late financial reports

State officials will withhold another payment to Milwaukee Public Schools because the district missed an extended deadline for submitting financial reports May 30, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Deputy State Superintendent Tom McCarthy said June 3.

Board approves SEO contract on split vote

The Stoughton Area School District Board of Education approved on a 5-3 vote the creation of a school resource officer (SRO) position at its Monday, June 2 meeting. This agreement will last for three years, beginning July 1, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2028. The city and school district will review the program 60 days before its termination to evaluate if the program should continue.

MPS budget plan invests $16 million into lead cleanup, cuts teaching jobs

As Milwaukee Public Schools faces a lead crisis, operational failures and staffing shortages in key areas, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius’ budget proposal published June 2 reorganizes the district’s central office, cuts specialized teaching positions, and invests more in the district's facilities and special education services. 

These suburban Milwaukee school districts say banning cell phones from classrooms has been a positive for students

Three Milwaukee area school districts have seen improvements in classroom behavior after changing their cell phone policies to keep phones out of students' hands while they're in the classroom. The Grafton, Mukwonago Area and Shorewood school districts all changed their policies before the start of the 2024-25 school year.

Future of MPS International School Uncertain

The International Newcomer Center program at Milwaukee Public Schools‘ Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language accommodates approximately 80 middle-school level refugee students with two teachers and two specialists in English as a Second Language (ESL). When Urban Milwaukee wrote about the Newcomer Center in September 2021, the largest number of refugees coming to the center were Afghan children after the fall of the central government in Afghanistan.