As state legislators continue to put together the 2025-2027 biennial budget, the Superintendent of the Manitowoc Public School District is asking them to make sure education is not forgotten.
The following is an unedited op-ed, written by Superintendent Lee Thennes.
On behalf of the Manitowoc Public School District, I am writing to urge our state legislators to take immediate action to properly fund K-12 education across Wisconsin. Central to this call is the need to finally fulfill the longstanding, and yet still unmet, state obligation to fund two-thirds of the costs of special education services.
For decades, Wisconsin has promised to shoulder two-thirds of the cost of special education, recognizing the critical importance of supporting our most vulnerable students. Unfortunately, this promise remains unfulfilled, forcing districts like Manitowoc to cover a growing share of these expenses through local property taxes. This practice unfairly shifts the financial responsibility from the state to local homeowners.
This funding structure not only burdens Manitowoc’s homeowners with disproportionate costs but also reflects a broader, systemic failure in how Wisconsin funds its public schools. Our state’s reliance on local property taxes has deepened inequities, creating a patchwork of school funding where students’ educational opportunities are too often determined by the wealth of their communities rather than their needs.
The inequities this system produces are real and damaging: districts with lower property values struggle to provide the same level of education and support as wealthier districts, perpetuating cycles of disadvantage. Manitowoc Public School District is committed to serving all students equitably, but without adequate state funding, especially for special education, we are hindered in fulfilling that commitment.
MPSD urges our state representatives to prioritize legislation that honors the state’s responsibility for special education funding and addresses the broader inequities caused by our current school finance system. Investing equitably in all Wisconsin children is not just the right thing to do, it is essential to the future prosperity and wellbeing of our communities and state.
To our representatives, we thank you for your leadership and commitment to public education. We stand ready to partner with you in ensuring a fair and fully funded education system for every child in Wisconsin.
Lee Thennes
MPSD Superintendent
