Historic $639 Million Increase for Wisconsin’s K-12 Schools

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 08/30/2017 10:29 AM CDT

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Historic $639 Million Increase for Wisconsin’s
K-12 Schools

Thanks to the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee for supporting the education portion of my budget. Once signed, this budget will include more actual dollars for K-12 education than ever before in our state’s history. The $639 million increase will support all of Wisconsin’s K-12 schools.

Every child deserves access to a great education that provides them with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful.

Already, the graduation rate among Wisconsin students is among the highest in the country. Our students also have some of the best ACT scores in America for states where every child is expected to take the test.

But we aren’t done yet. We know that ensuring our students’ success – both in and outside the classroom – is critical to the state’s continued economic success.

That’s why the state budget increases investments in programs that support career exploration, such as the Early College Credit Program, Career and Technical Education grants, Fabrication Laboratories, and other programs that help ensure every student succeeds.

We are working and winning for Wisconsin students.

Wisconsin’s Workforce Is Ready

As evidenced by Foxconn, Generac, and Haribo, Wisconsin is open for business. And with new business, comes new career opportunities.

Foxconn alone offers Wisconsin a high-tech manufacturing and technology ecosystem that will employ up to 13,000 workers with an average salary of $53,875 plus benefits. The project will also support 10,000 construction jobs over each of the next four years as well as 22,000 indirect and induced jobs expected to be created throughout the state.

These aren’t just jobs, they are family-supporting careers. And Wisconsin’s workforce is ready.

Over the last two budgets, we’ve invested a total of more than $382 million into state programs that support workforce development, including Youth and Registered Apprenticeship, Wisconsin Fast Forward, and Vocational Rehabilitation.

These targeted investments in skills training programs ensure we have the highly-skilled, dependable workforce Wisconsin is known for.

I am proud to declare September Workforce Development Month throughout the state of Wisconsin.

Empire Level: Made in America, Right Here in Wisconsin

Earlier this week I joined employees of Empire Level (Empire), a division of Milwaukee Tool, and local officials to celebrate the company’s commitment to manufacturing growth right here in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Tool invested $16 million to strengthen Empire since acquiring the company in 2014. This investment supported plant upgrades, over 150 new products, and more than 80 incremental hires.

The long-time Wisconsin company is also teaming up with local colleges and universities on worker training initiatives to close the skills gap and recruit engineering talent.

The commitment shown by companies like Empire and Milwaukee Tool is a major reason why Wisconsin will continue to lead the way in manufacturing and worker training.