Rep. Amy Binsfeld Voted for School Voucher Bill That “Increased Taxpayer Payments to Private Voucher Schools”

Republican incumbent Amy Binsfeld currently represents District 27, but is running in District 26 this year due to redistricting. Rep. Binsfeld voted for SB 330, the school voucher bill that “increased taxpayer payments to private voucher schools.” Out of the 62 votes cast for SB 330, 60 were cast by Republicans, with no Republicans voting against the bill. 

Rep. Binsfeld also voted for AB 900, which according to the Wisconsin Examiner meant “all the voucher programs would be separated from school districts and would, instead, be funded completely by state general purpose revenue starting in the 2024-25 school year.” This process is known as “de-coupling.” Governor Evers opposed the bill, with his spokesperson Britt Cudaback saying the state “already has a public school system that is woefully underfunded.”

Democrat Joe Sheehan, who is running against Rep. Binsfeld for State Assembly District 26, is a former educator and superintendent. Sheehan lists public education as a priority on his campaign website, stating, “[p]ublic K-12 schools receive less money from the Republican legislature than they did a decade ago. Wisconsin’s spending for our students used to rank 11th in the nation. In 2024, we are ranked 23rd. Our kids deserve better, and they should go to schools that have the resources they need to succeed.” Sheehan has also called attention to the cost of Wisconsin’s school voucher program, saying, “[l]ocal taxpayers are also spending millions of dollars on private school vouchers. Those vouchers now provide higher levels of spending per student than public schools. We cannot afford two school systems. As former superintendent of the Sheboygan Area School District, I will fight for adequate public school funding for our students.” 

Sheehan co-wrote an article about the damage school voucher programs caused public schools, writing that “[t]he Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the voucher expansion plan could cost public school districts $48 million in aid reductions over the biennium for new voucher students. The current underfunding of our public schools shows we simply cannot afford two systems of education in Wisconsin.” 

Sheehan’s campaign for the 26th District has been endorsed by the Wisconsin Education Association Council.