Madison, WI – Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Chair of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL), marked her second anniversary in office by launching a statewide tour during National School Library Month and delivering a record-breaking $70 million distribution from the Common School Fund to Wisconsin public schools. The funding benefits every public school and serves as the sole source of library funding for more than 90% of school districts—supporting school libraries and media centers through the purchase of books, technology, and other learning resources.
To celebrate the milestone, Secretary Godlewski also released a special edition newsletter reflecting on her first two years in office—highlighting both the modernization of the Secretary of State’s office and her commitment to expanding its impact across Wisconsin.
“This is what public service is all about—delivering real results for kids and families,” said Secretary Godlewski. “Our public schools have faced rising costs and tough funding choices. These dollars help make sure students have access to the resources they need to learn and thrive.”
To celebrate National Library Week, Secretary Godlewski visited libraries and classrooms across the state, reading to students and highlighting the impact of the Common School Fund. She was joined by local leaders, librarians, and educators who shared how these dollars make a real difference for students and help ease the burden on local taxpayers.
Secretary Godlewski kicked off the week in Middleton, reading to students and presenting $571,237 to the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District alongside State Representative Alex Joers and Middleton Mayor Emily Kuhn at Sauk Trail Elementary.
In Green Bay, Secretary Godlewski joined Mayor Eric Genrich to deliver over $1.9 million in school library funding and read to students at Martin Elementary School. After reading the book “Grace for President,” she led a voting activity to teach the students about the importance of civic engagement.
In Appleton, she hosted a round of Civics Trivia with students at Wilson Middle School, testing their knowledge of U.S. history and democracy.
In La Crosse, Secretary Godlewski joined Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey to present $541,418 in library funding and hear from educators about how the funds are expanding access to inclusive reading materials:
“We have been able to purchase books that meet the needs of ALL our students.”
Lila Planavsky, Longfellow Middle
“We have wanted to purchase some Wonder Books [books that read the text aloud]. Students are constantly checking them out and loving them to death. We are hoping to use the expanded funds to purchase more of those. Wonder Books help students move from picture books to chapter books.”
Kristen Martin, State Road Elementary
“The library is the School’s Classroom. It’s a third space for our students where they can be themselves and have hard conversations.”
Abby Von Arx, La Crosse Central High School
At Muskego High School, students engaged in another round of Civics Trivia, and Secretary Godlewski, joined by State Representative Chuck Wichgers, presented a check to the Muskego-Norway School District for $433,933 in school library funding. In addition to books, students highlighted the importance of access to databases, test prep resources, and additional resources for homework assistance.
The tour concluded in Milwaukee where Secretary Godlewski and State Representative Sequanna Taylor presented a record-breaking $8.2 million to Milwaukee Public Schools and visited Congress School.
“I like my school library, because I get to read lots of books and challenge myself. I can learn about anything I want to be in life.”
4th Grader, Congress School
“Sharing the joy of reading with students across Wisconsin—especially during School Library Week—is one of the best parts of my job,” said Godlewski. “As a mom, I know how important it is to give kids access to the tools they need to imagine big, learn deeply, and grow.”
The 2025 distribution—the largest in history—was made possible through smart, responsible investment strategies that have grown the Common School Fund to $1.5 billion under Secretary Godlewski’s leadership.
In addition to strengthening the Common School Fund, Secretary Godlewski has spent the past two years modernizing and revitalizing the Secretary of State’s office to best serve Wisconsin communities. Since taking office in 2023, she has:
- Completed a record 15,588 apostille and authentication cases
- Digitized a backlog of more than 80,000 records
- Launched a new online order system and public records portal
- Hosted civic engagement programs in K–12 schools
- Partnered with local governments to promote public service careers through Federal Work Study
- Delivered a $1.6 million Normal School Fund distribution for the UW System in 2024
- Financed 134 community projects totaling more than $102 million
- Convened state, local, and federal leaders to support Wisconsin’s forest products industry
Looking ahead, Secretary Godlewski says she will continue building on this momentum.
“In just two years, we’ve turned around an office that was overlooked,” said Godlewski. “And, I’m excited to keep delivering for the people of Wisconsin.”
