Offfice of Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski MEDIA ADVISORY March 4, 2024 Contact: [email protected] or Nate Schwantes at 608-261-7429
Secretary Sarah Godlewski presents historic Common School Fund Distribution to Support Wisconsin Public Schools
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ADVISORY:

Secretary Godlewski will be speaking to the Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA) Conference at 11:45 AM at The Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells and will have availability following her remarks.?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WISCONSIN DELLS, WI - Secretary of State Godlewski at the Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA) Conference presented a $65 million check that will benefit Wisconsin public school libraries and media centers. As a result of smart investment strategies, the?Common School Fund has experienced impressive growth - leading to a 25% increase from 2023 and setting a new financial record.?

Established in 1848 in the Wisconsin Constitution, the Common School Fund is the state?s permanent endowment that benefits public education. Wisconsin is the only state in the country that has a fund dedicated to resourcing public school libraries and technology needs. Over 90% of school libraries are solely resourced from the Common School Fund each year - making this funding vital to public education.?

Secretary?Godlewski?stated, ?As Chair of this agency, it?s my top priority to ensure strong financial returns that support over a million school children around the state. This funding?allows school librarians and media specialists to?purchase educational materials and computer needs while relieving the burden on?property taxpayers. I am proud of the Agency and Commissioners to deliver unprecedented funds. Strong schools foster thriving families and communities. This $65 million investment helps secure a bright future for our students, empowering them with essential resources."?

Under the Secretary?s leadership as Chair, the Common School Fund actively diversified millions of dollars, invested in Wisconsin communities, and effectively managed risk.?

?When public school students across Wisconsin find a book in their school library this week, there is a good chance the book was purchased with money from the Common School Fund. Every single public school library in our state shares the benefit of books and technology,? Secretary Godlewski said. ?The consistent growth in the Common School Fund means more opportunities for discovery and learning for students.?

"Background??"

"The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) oversees more than $1.4 billion in state trust funds, including the Common School Fund, which makes annual distributions that fund books and technology for every school district in the state. As board chair, Secretary Godlewski has prioritized community investment and integrating environmental, social, and governance considerations into the investment policy. To learn more about the BCPL, see here. [ [link removed] ]?

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? An online version of this release is available here [ [link removed] ]. ###

Gold Horizontal Line Office of the Secretary of State ? State Capitol B41 West, Madison, WI 53702 Press Office Email: [email protected] Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]
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