Jill Underly calls federal government 'biggest schoolyard bully' this year

This year's biggest schoolyard bully?

The federal government.

That's what Jill Underly, Wisconsin's top K-12 elected official, said during the 2025 State of Education Address at the state Capitol in Madison on Sept. 18. She used the annual ceremony to outline her priorities as the superintendent of public instruction, a role she was re-elected to in April.

Here are some key themes.

Federal government using funding as a 'bargaining chip'

Underly said public schools are the recipients of attacks "driven by nothing more than political agendas and hatred."

"The federal Department of Education is using critical funding as a bargaining chip, threatening or withholding it with little or no notice while demanding compliance with unclear and unlawful demands," Underly said.

She said the fe