FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sen. Hansen
November 10, 2011 608-266-5670
GOP Cuts to Schools: Not Working
(Madison)—State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) said today that despite claims by governor Walker and
Republican leaders new information shows that cuts to our public schools are not “working.”
According to a statewide school survey conducted jointly by the Department of Public Instruction and the
Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, budget cuts implemented under Governor Walker and
legislative Republicans resulted in 97% of school saw state aid cut an average of 10%.
“It’s all well and good to tell the people their plan is working but that doesn’t make it so. The cuts put in place
by Governor Walker and the Republicans are only working if the goal is to limit the quality of education our
children will receive now and in the future,” said Hansen.
Ninety percent of students were found to be attending school in a district that cut teachers, aids or other
educational support staff. Four in ten students attend school in a district with larger class sizes in Kindergarten
through Grade 6. Forty percent of the districts responding said they were forced to cut courses in Math,
Science, English and Social Studies.
“This report shows that the Governor and Republicans are balancing the state budget on the backs of our
students and that it is likely to only get worse. It is a plan that is going to lead to a lower quality education for
our children,” Hansen said referring to reports by two-thirds of schools saying they will be forced to make as
deep or deeper cuts next year.
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