Wisconsin's November 3 general election will shape K-12 education for the next decade.
Keep scrolling to see where each candidate for governor stands on the issues that shape Milwaukee's schools — public schools, public charters, private school choice, accountability, and their vision for what comes next.
Where do the candidates for governor stand on your kids' schools?
This guide breaks down where the 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates on the November general election ballot stand on K-12 education, in their own words, with links to the sources and an at-a-glance view of how each stacks up against CFC's mission.
David Crowley
DEMOCRAT
Crowley on private school vouchers: "Our schools don't have the resources. They don't have the teachers. They don't have the bodies, and in some cases, they don't have the infrastructure to bring on many of these students."
"We need to make sure that our public schools are in the best position possible to bring on these children and set them up for academic success, and I believe that trying to do an overnight shutdown of the voucher system doesn't put our public schools in the best position." — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Crowley on Federal Scholarship Tax Credit: "Anything that's going to push our public schools forward, I'm absolutely going to put on the table and see what we can do to make it even better and make sure that our children can get access."
"But I am not going to put us in a position where our public school students, like my daughters, wouldn't be able to take advantage of programs and tools that are being rolled out of the federal government." — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Crowley on school funding: Crowley calls Wisconsin's school aid formulas "broken" and wants to increase funding for public schools overall, including raising the state's special education reimbursement from 45% to 90% and providing free, universal preschool. He says he wants to boost school funding while lowering residents' property tax burden. — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Tom Tiffany
REPUBLICAN
Tiffany on private school vouchers: "Public school was the right choice for me and my daughters, but it may not be the right choice for every child.”
“I support Wisconsin's school choice programs and want to make sure families have access to high-quality options, whether that is a traditional public school, charter school, private school or homeschooling." — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Tiffany on Federal Scholarship Tax Credit: "The scholarships are funded through voluntary donations, and if Wisconsin refuses to participate, those resources will simply go to students in other states. This is about giving students more opportunities, and even Democrat governors in other states recognize that and have opted in." — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Tiffany on school funding: "I will make sure our schools are funded through the state budget, but more money alone is not the measure of success. The measure of success is whether our kids can read, write, do math and graduate prepared for what comes next." — The Cap Times, Oct. 2, 2026
Methodology — How We Assess Positions
Disclaimer: CFC Action Fund is a 501(c)(4); this page reflects stated public positions, not endorsements