On Wednesday, the Finance Bureau said additional federal stimulus packages would provide schools with an additional $ 784.4 million, if the state qualifies for funding.

The bureau notes that the state must increase education spending by $ 387 million over the two-year period in order to meet the threshold needed to obtain federal funds.

The U.S. Department of Education warned that the allocation to the rainy day fund would not help the state qualify for federal stimulus funds and that new state funds would have to be directed to them. schools to ensure the state is eligible.

“Unless Republicans fund our schools properly, Wisconsin’s 421 school districts will lose a total of $ 2.3 billion,” Erpenbach said in an email. “No more excuses, no more games… it’s time for Republicans to do the right thing because the budget clock is ticking.

Republican leaders have said in previous budget sessions that federal rules could change and that details around education funding could be clarified later in the budget process, if necessary.

Republicans also said there were no major changes planned for the K-12 budget, despite Gov. Tony Evers’ comments that he could veto the entire proposal if Republicans didn’t. were not allocating enough funding for education to qualify for federal stimulus dollars.