Office of Governor Tony Evers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2025
Contact: [email protected] 
 
Gov. Evers Demands Trump Administration Release Late School Aid Payments for 20 Wisconsin School Districts
Governor blasts Secretary McMahon for firing staff, efforts to dismantle Department of Education resulting in late school aid payments for school districts across Wisconsin
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding that she immediately release federal Impact Aid payments for 20 school districts across Wisconsin that serve over 21,000 Wisconsin kids. Schools were supposed to receive the first round of payments in October for federal school funding, known as “Impact Aid,” which is used by schools for basic operations, such as payroll, transportation, programs, and new positions, among other critical areas.

“I was shocked to hear from several eligible school districts in Wisconsin that October Impact Aid payments have yet to be issued. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education has provided no guidance or timeline for when school districts can expect to receive these payments,” Gov Evers wrote to Secretary McMahon. “Less surprisingly, this delay seems to be completely unnecessary and entirely self-inflicted by the Trump Administration, as you have apparently terminated nearly all staff in the Impact Aid Program as part of your illegal efforts to completely dismantle and eliminate the U.S. Department of Education without Congressional approval.

“Wisconsin schools waiting to receive funding that has been inexplicably delayed is just the latest in a long list of examples of the real and harmful impacts you and your administration are inflicting on Wisconsin’s kids and schools, particularly those in our rural communities,” the governor continued.

Federal Impact Aid is one of the most flexible sources of funding allocated to eligible schools, enabling school districts to hire and pay teachers, purchase instructional materials, and support student transportation needs. This is especially critical for eligible Wisconsin school districts, as many of these schools are in rural areas of the state and face unique transportation challenges. Twenty school districts located across Wisconsin, from Bayfield to Seymour to Black River Falls, received Impact Aid payments in federal fiscal year 2025, totaling over $23 million. Most but not all eligible schools are operated by federally recognized Tribal Nations located in Wisconsin.

“This funding is critically important to many school districts in Wisconsin that receive reduced or no property tax revenues due to being located on federal lands. Refusal to fulfill your legal and statutory obligations by providing these payments to schools that support core operations is unacceptable and requires your urgent attention,” Gov. Evers concluded. “Please take immediate action. Wisconsin kids rely on the resources provided by our schools and funded by this program.”

A copy of Gov. Evers’ letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary McMahon is available here.
 
An online version of this release is available here.
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